Breaking the Mold
by RussoGermany
Summary: High School AU: Arthur was a high school senior. He hated the jocks and everything they did, especially Alfred Jones. However, after one fateful event on the roof of the school, when hate turns to something else, does Arthur have the courage to follow through? Rated M for language and for later. Cover art from usuklove's tumblr.
1. Chapter 1

_**Hello everyone! So this is my first official high school AU story! (*random applause*) Now, my friend and I have a dare contest going, and this was my dare. I'll update every one to two weeks, so there's gonna be multiple chapters involved. Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN HETALIA. Now, please read, review, favorite, and enjoy!**_

_._

The bell chimed immediately after the announcements ended in the morning, and all of the students headed for first period. A large crowd of people that was trying to navigate through the hall was moving along at a snail's pace. The new freshmen were trying desperately to avoid the upperclassmen, and get to their first class in one piece. They were all huddled together in little groups, with expressions of sheer terror on their faces whenever a senior passed by. Arthur laughed to himself. '_Fucking freshmen, you don't get it do you? Here, you aren't worth a fucking thing_.'

Arthur was standing casually by the water fountain. His blond hair was resting gently on his forehead, and his intense green eyes were scanning the hall. He was wearing a black tank top with a British flag on it, a pair of navy blue skinny jeans, and dark red converse shoes. The spiked bracelets he was wearing reflected the fluorescent light into the eyes of several students. He liked the spiked bracelets. Whenever most people saw those, they stayed as far away from him as possible. Arthur didn't like being in large groups of people. It's not that he was shy or anything, he just didn't give a damn about what anyone said.

As he slowly made his way to first period, he heard several people shout "FAG!" as he passed them. '_Fucking idiots,_' he thought. '_Have fun working at McDonalds you drug-addicted douche bags_.' Above all, there was one group of people who Arthur hated more than anyone: the jocks. While he admitted that some of them were okay, most of the jocks just rambled on about stuff they did, WHO they did, and how much they drank at last night's "most epic party of all time," as they always said. It shocked him how idiotic some of these people were, and even more so that they were still allowed to compete in every sport they wished. '_That's school politics…if we can win at sports, then we did something right_.'

The second bell rang, and Arthur still hadn't arrived at his first class: senior level chemistry. While Arthur did enjoy science, he sometimes got in trouble with his teachers for debating that magic was more prominent than science. The debates usually ended with Arthur getting a detention slip, but it was worth it. Whenever he talked about dark magic in class to a teacher, they usually just stood there dumbstruck. '_I'm not gonna talk about it in this class though, because maybe she'll teach us how to blow shit up!_'

When he finally walked into the room, all of the students were sitting. "Welcome Mr. Kirkland," the teacher said with a stern face. "Because this is the first day, I'll let you off with a warning. But do not be late to my class again."

"Yes Ms. Daniels," Arthur replied in a tone so sweet, that it made him to want vomit. He hated suck ups, and he wasn't about to become one himself.

"As for your seat," she continued, "there's an open table next to Kiku and Yao. There's going to be another student to sit with you, but it appears that he's late as well." Arthur quickly went to his seat and slumped in the chair. '_It's not so bad. At least I have Kiku in this class_,' he thought to himself. Then he heard it. A voice rang out from the doorway, announcing his heroic arrival. '_Anyone but him!_' Arthur thought frantically.

"Hey guys! Sorry I'm late! Even heroes do that sometimes!" Alfred triumphantly shouted, with a wide smile on his face. "Did I miss anything?"

"You missed the bell," Ms. Daniels said in reply. "Now be quiet and go to your seat Mr. Jones. It's the empty one at the table with Mr. Kirkland. From now on, if you plan to be late, at least bring a pass or something!" Arthur tuned her out after she said the words "with Mr. Kirkland". If there was one person who he hated more than anyone, it was Alfred Jones. He was last year's quarterback for the football team, and he was practically guaranteed the same position this year after having the phenomenal season that he did. Alfred was leader of the jocks, and every single thing he did annoyed Arthur. Sitting next to anyone would have been better, even if it was that knife girl Natalia! "Oh and class before I forget, I have two announcements regarding seats. First, you will not be getting new seats, so do not ask. Second, since each table has two people, the person you are sitting with will be your lab partner for the entire year."

'_Fuck_. _I'm stuck with Alfred, king of the dicks!_' Arthur mentally complained. He gave Kiku a look of desperation, who just returned it with a shoulder shrug. To his greater annoyance, Alfred tried to start a conversation the moment he sat down. "Hey dude! What's up? I haven't had a class with you since freshman year!"

"Piss off," Arthur responded.

"Not so friendly? That's totally cool, I understand. But seriously, what's new?"

"I said piss off you fucking wanker. We both know that we are not friends. You're one of the jocks. I hate the jocks, and the jocks hate me. You're just trying to make yourself look good."

"No I'm not. And I don't hate you. I try to be friendly with everyone!"

"Everyone except me. So I'll say this one more time," the tone in Arthur's voice was a bit angrier, and he started to get louder too. "Piss off!" The next thing he saw was the pink detention slips in front of both Alfred and himself. He turned to protest, but Ms. Daniels was already ahead of him.

"Using profane language, shouting, being a distraction, disrupting class, that's what those are for. Clean up your act and your mouth Arthur." she said. "As for you Alfred, stop being a distraction to others. Because of your behavior, I'm not going to let you go to practice today."

"No way! That's totally unfair! You can't do that!" Alfred protested.

"I'm afraid I can. I am the school disciplinarian. You will meet with me tomorrow to determine your punishment." she said. "The same goes for you Arthur. Now, shall we return to class?"

_._

Second and third period passed by without a problem. Arthur wasn't worried a bit about the detention. He'd had so many before, it didn't matter that much. However, from what he saw, that single detention crushed Alfred. '_It's one day wanker. Besides, it would do all the jocks some good to finally get punished for all the shit they do, no matter how minor_.' The bell rang, and he headed off to fourth period: history. To his dismay, he was once again forced to sit next to Alfred. '_What the hell did I do to deserve this punishment?_' Arthur pondered. One class was bad enough with Alfred, but two? He didn't think he could handle it. It took every ounce of self-control he possessed not to shout in anger at the jock.

However, when Alfred sat down next to him, he decided against the idea of insults. Still clutched in Alfred's hand was the pink slip, and his expression was one of both depression and confusion. '_He seriously needs to lighten up_.'

Lunch was next, and Arthur took his lunch up to the roof. He usually ate up on top of the building because no one else went up there. He could be by himself, and he could take some time to relax. About halfway through his sandwich, Arthur heard the door to the roof creak open. '_Who is it now?_' He turned around and saw six jocks, all sporting letterman jackets, quickly approaching him. Arthur turned back to his sandwich and kept eating.

"Just who the fuck do you think you are?" one of them said to him.

"We have our opening game coming up, and you made our star player lose practice days!" said another.

"A fag like you should just sit down, shut up, and stay hidden from everyone else. That's what you're best at anyways," the third said. The last statement struck a nerve. Arthur calmly put his meal down, and stood up to face them. Because of where he was eating, he noticed that they already had him cornered against the fence. Nonetheless, Arthur decided that he had to say something to them.

"Who am I? You say I'm a fag. Who are you? You say you are the best. Well I say that you're a bunch of fucking pricks that have no brains, or talent other than hitting people. That's really going to come in handy when you graduate, that is, even if you dumbasses are passing any of your classes. Have fun whoring yourselves out to people on the street, and when I want my burger at McDonalds, I want extra ketchup. Also, I believe you have to be 21 to join AA. Now piss off you binge-drinking prats, what you have to say doesn't concern me. Take your shit and talk to someone who cares," Arthur said.

At that moment, something solid hit him right in the face. One of the jocks punched him square in the jaw. "What do you know; I do have a talent for hitting people!" As he said that, he gripped the neck of Arthur's tank top, and repeatedly punched him in the face. The pain was so unbearable. He was struggling hard to stay conscious, in fear that they would only pulverize him worse if he passed out. He could feel the darkness creeping up from the corners of his eyes. As the other jocks continued to cheer on their friend, the pain just kept increasing to entirely new levels. Arthur saw the man, no, the bastard pull his fist back, and wind up for a final punch. Just as Arthur had almost slipped into unconsciousness, he saw a hand catch the punch within an inch of his face.

"That's enough. It's not his fault. I egged him on, and I deserve my punishment. But what I got is nothing compared to what you're going to receive if the teacher saw you do this. Besides, it's just one practice." It was Alfred. He stopped the fist, and he came to help Arthur. "Now get out of here so you don't get in trouble."

Reluctantly, the six students left, leaving Alfred and Arthur alone on the roof. Alfred turned around to face Arthur for the first time since he had arrived. There were several visible bruises, his right eye was black, and he saw a gash on his cheek dripping blood. The sight was horrible. Through the one eye that he was able to open, Arthur looked deep into Alfred's blue eyes. "This is why I hate you jocks," Arthur struggled to say. Once he finished the sentence, he went limp, and slipped into unconsciousness.

_._

When Arthur woke up, he was lying on one of the beds in the nurse's office. There were several bandages on his face, and a bag of ice was on his right eye. He tried to sit up, but the room suddenly became blurry, and he felt dizzy. Arthur grabbed the nearest trash can he could, and promptly vomited into it. When the dizziness finally settled down, the nurse entered the room. "It looks like you took quite a beating Arthur, but you'll be fine soon."

As his bandages were being changed, Arthur tried to remember what had just happened. He remembered the fist pummeling his face, and then… "Excuse me, but how did I get here?" he asked the nurse.

"Oh! A young man carried you down here. He looked really worried about you, but I had to make him go to class," she responded.

"What was his name?"

"Let's see…I got it! It was Alfred Jones!"

_._

_**So what did you think? Did you enjoy chapter one? I'm sorry Arthur fans, but I needed to do this to set up something in the future. Please leave your feedback in the reviews, or feel free to PM me. Also, while you're at it, go to my profile and check out my other stories! So please leave your reviews, and I'll start writing the next chapter as soon as I can! Suggestions welcome! Just no flat out hate please :3.**_


	2. Chapter 2

_**Disclaimer: I DO NOT own Hetalia. Wow, I didn't expect such a big response for just the first chapter! Thanks for all of your support you guys! 0v3rachi3v3r is my good friend with whom I am in the dare competition! So, allow me to clear some things up: in one of my schools, you could see the only accessible roof from the cafeteria, because there was a courtyard in the middle of the school. Also, the bullying stories, I looked them up online, so some of these things actually happened. As for his social "label", he's somewhat of a punk. So, saving the rest of my ranting until the end, please read, review, favorite, and enjoy! Here's chapter 2:**_

_._

The walk home after the final bell rang was slow and agonizing. Thoughts were racing through Arthur's mind, and he couldn't quite decipher them. All he knew was that he wanted to get as far away from the school as possible.

'_Alfred?_' Arthur thought to himself. '_He carried me to the nurse? Why the hell does he care?_' The pain had momentarily subsided in Arthur's face as he pondered the idea of one of his worst enemies carrying him to the nurse's. And then it hit him. '_Of course! That wanker is just doing this to make himself look innocent! That bastard was on the roof while those pricks beat me!_'

The theory of Alfred avoiding a punishment brought some stability to Arthur's mind. He was used to the beatings, and the name callings. However, not once had anyone ever offered him any help whatsoever. He was usually left on the ground for God knows how long until someone else found him. This was the first time someone had ever shown any bit of kindness to him, and he couldn't quite understand the reason behind it. Seeing as he only received hate from the jocks, it was incredibly confusing to Arthur that one of them would carry him. '_He's only hiding guilt. Only hiding guilt! That's why he carried me! But_…'

There was one more detail that made the events on the roof more confusing: Alfred stopped the beating. Others usually cheered on the jocks, and laughed at Arthur as he was pummeled mercilessly by them. So why had this time been any different? Why did he choose now to stop them? And why Arthur?

After about five minutes, Arthur finally reached his apartment. He'd been living in it ever since he turned 18, and it was the only place he truly could call home. Arthur trudged up 8 flights of stairs, and promptly inserted the key into his door. Once he was inside, he slammed the door and threw his backpack on the chair. Even though the weight of the bag was removed from his body, his limbs still felt heavy, and his thoughts continued to weigh him down. Arthur collapsed against the door, and warm tears began to cascade out of his eyes. He tried desperately to stop them from falling onto the ground, but his efforts were to no avail. Eventually, he slumped to the ground, pulled his legs in and rested his head on top of his knees. His back was still in contact with the door, but he was now just a mere ball sitting just inside the threshold of his tiny living space. '_I'm sick of this shit!_'  
_._

First period began, and Arthur had made it to class on time. Unfortunately, so had Alfred. '_Oh God, please don't let him ask about yesterday,_' Arthur prayed silently as he headed to his seat. He set his books down on the floor, and hung his backpack on the back of his chair. Once he sat down, he put his face in his arms, and rested on the desk. '_At least he hasn't said anything yet,_' Arthur admitted. '_But, why does he look so tense?_' His thoughts were interrupted by the teacher's voice.

"Mr. Kirkland, can you come here please?" she asked from her desk. Arthur stood up and headed over quickly, hoping to hide his face from his classmates so they wouldn't ask about the scars and bruises. He was able to cover some of them up with make-up, but some were too hard to hide. '_Please just let me go back to my seat_.' Arthur hoped, but his hope was short-lived.

"What happened to your face?" There it was. If the students wouldn't say anything, the teacher just HAD to ask. "You had a very negative attitude yesterday in class, and I'd say that attitude has carried over to today. If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were in a fight. You do know the punishment for fighting in school, right?"

"Yes Ms. Daniels."

"We will discuss your actions when you come to meet with me after school today for detention. And if you don't make a turn around in your behavior, I am going to…"

"It's not his fault!" The mumbling around the classroom had ceased. The teacher looked out to see who the source of the voice was, and she didn't have to look far. Standing on the side of the room, wearing his favorite letterman jacket with a large number 50 on the back, was Alfred. "Arthur didn't do anything!" Arthur's jaw almost dropped. First he defended him on the roof, now he was going to defend him in class? '_No, he was just saving his own arse on the roof. But why is he helping me now?_'

"Well then Mr. Jones, would like to tell me what happened to Arthur here?" Ms. Daniels asked. "Was he in a fight? Did you do this? I seem to recall you two arguing yesterday in class."

"No. He didn't fight anyone. But…" Alfred began to say.

"But what, Alfred? What happened to your fellow classmate here? Or should I just give you both detentions right now?"

"You're going to give him a detention because he was beaten by several students to a bloody pulp?"

If anyone in the class was still talking by this point, they went silent. The tension was so thick, one could've cut it with a knife. They could've heard a pin drop, or any matter of minute noises. No one dared to utter another word. After several minutes, the teacher spoke up. "Who did this then? Did you see them?"

"Y-yes ma'am," Alfred replied. "I saw them. And I stopped it too. If I hadn't Arthur would be in a much worse condition."

'_That's why,_' Arthur thought. '_Now he's making it so that he's innocent in the eyes of the disciplinarian! This bastard might not be as dumb as I thought. But he should still receive some punishment for…_' For what exactly? What did Alfred do to him? Saved him from severe mutilation? Humiliation? Another detention?

"See me after class Mr. Jones. I want to discuss this matter with you."

And all Arthur could seem to do in return for Alfred saving him was get him in trouble with the teacher.

_._

Detention that afternoon wasn't entirely terrible. Arthur had been forced to do worse in the past. For the duration of his hour-long detention, he was supposed to pick trash up around the school. '_At least Alfred and I have to do different things,_' Arthur thought. '_But since when do I care what that prick does? I don't!_'

The hour passed by quickly, and Arthur wanted nothing more than to leave the school and avoid any unnecessary contact with Alfred. He didn't need the annoying idiot to ask him more questions. When he finally was able to leave the school, he saw someone quickly approaching him. At that moment, Arthur would've traded anything in the world for the person to be Alfred, but it wasn't. It was the bastard who beat him on the roof of the school. Even though he was about a hundred yards away, Arthur could clearly see the object he was holding in his hands: a rope.

Arthur was so focused on the bastard approaching him, that he didn't notice the two jocks closing in on him from behind. They each grabbed an arm, and one of them slapped a piece of duct tape on his mouth, quickly stifling the scream he began to let out. "What's up faggot?" the jock with the rope asked jokingly. "Did ya hear? Your little tattling to the teacher got me suspended for two weeks!"

A fist slammed into his stomach. "And now I can't play football!"

Another one slammed into his face, bringing back all the pain of the previous day. "And I can't do any of the actual fun shit that goes on at this school!"

Again and again, the fists made contact with his body, making every inch of him feel incredibly painful. "So this time, I'm going to teach you a lesson that you'll never forget. LEARN YOUR PLACE YOU LITTLE FUCKER!" A final blow was dealt to his head, and Arthur was knocked unconscious. "This is what happens when you mess with me."

_._

"Arthur!" Alfred shouted. Detention was over, and Alfred was really worried about his classmate. After telling Ms. Daniels the details of what had happened, his teammate was immediately suspended from school, and Alfred was almost positive that he would retaliate. He knew his teammate hated Arthur, and he was certain that whatever he had planned, it would not end well. "Arthur! You done yet dude?"

The next noise he heard resembled that of a car speeding away. '_The parking lot?_' Alfred thought to himself. Then he saw Arthur, beaten, bound, and stripped. His body now from head to toe was covered in many bruises and various cuts, some of which were bleeding. Arthur had been tied to a steel support beam of the overhang of the bus port in the back of the school, and his clothes were scattered all over the place. "Arthur!"

Alfred rushed to the support where Arthur was tied, and immediately began to rip the knots apart. As soon as the last one was untied, Alfred picked him up, and ran towards his car. After flinging the door open, he gently laid Arthur down in a seat, and placed his letterman jacket over his naked body to cover up. Before he left, Alfred ran around the parking lot, and collected all of Arthur's various clothing articles which had been strewn in thorn bushes, and thrown in trees.

Once he had collected Arthur's clothes, Alfred got in the driver's seat and sped out of the parking lot. '_Damn! I was too late to stop it!_' he thought to himself. As soon as he arrived at his house, Alfred immediately scooped Arthur out of his seat, and ran inside. "Mattie! Bring me some ice, fast!" he shouted at his little brother who was in the kitchen. "And grab any bandages we have!" Alfred carried him to his room, and set him down in his bed, under the covers. If he was taking care of the guy, he could at least have the decency to cover him up.

"I-I'm here Alfred! Here's the ice you needed," Matthew said from the doorway. As he handed the bag of ice to his older brother, he stared at Arthur with a look of concern. "I-is he going to be okay?"

"God I hope so," Alfred said in reply. '_This is all my fault!_'

_._

_**So what did you guys think? I'M SO SORRY! This is the last time I'll do this to Arthur, I swear! Anyways, what I said earlier was true; I did look up bullying stories. The worst ones I found were people tied to a flag pole in underwear, so I took it one small step further. Anyways, everything in this story has a purpose! And yes, people in schools I have been to were immediately suspended once the teachers were informed of something terrible they did. Anyways, please favorite and review (no flat out hate please :3), and I'll start working on chapter 3!**_


	3. Chapter 3

_**Disclaimer: I DO NOT own Hetalia. Hey everyone! So did you enjoy the last chapter? I promise that was the last of the (current) physical abuse to Arthur. Some people left me some questions, and I will answer a few of those in this chapter: who is the bully? What will happen to Arthur? What will happen with Alfred? So, saving my ranting for the end, please READ, REVIEW, FAVORITE, and ENJOY! Here is chapter 3:**_

_._

Pain radiated through Arthur's limbs as he slowly came to. For the second time in two days, he had been beaten. But this time was different, because he woke up in an entirely foreign place. '_Last thing I remember is Ivan beating the shit out of me in the parking lot. Damn him…damn all of those fucking wankers…those jocks can kiss my arse_.' Arthur thought to himself. '_But that still doesn't solve one problem. Where the hell am I?_'

"Oh! You're finally awake now are you?" Arthur looked around to see the source of the sound. She was sitting by the head of the bed, dressed in jeans and a red t-shirt. Her hair was a fair blonde color, and her eyes were an incredible shade of blue. She had a soft smile, and her perfect white teeth shone from just beyond her soft lips. Arthur couldn't shake the thought that he'd seen her somewhere before. "When my son called me and told me that you were badly injured, I rushed home to help! That's what a nurse does anyways."

"Excuse me," Arthur said. "You seem like a nice person, and thanks for helping me out, but could you tell me where I am?" He was anxious to get out of wherever he was, and rush to his apartment. He sat up in the bed, and was about to get out from under the covers when he noticed it: he wasn't wearing any clothes. '_What the fuck happened while I was out?_'

"Well," the woman began to respond. "Two of your classmates live in this house, so you have no need to worry. Frankly, I'm glad that my son had detention today, otherwise you would've had much more serious problems than you do now. Being tied up like that, you probably could have caught hypothermia!"

Classmate? Son? Detention? Today? '_Don't tell me! She couldn't possibly be…_'

"Anyways, I'm Mrs. Jones! It's nice to finally meet you Arthur! My son talks about you all the time! You know Alfred right? He looks kind of like me, and he plays on the football team."

'_Alfred? Again? Why does that bastard keep doing this? He knows that I hate the jocks, but he still helps me…damn this all makes no sense!_' Arthur began to panic, and then a thought crossed his mind, that spawned from what Mrs. Jones had just said. '_Wait, she just said I was tied up…what the hell?_' He was almost afraid of the answer, but still, Arthur asked. "You said I was tied up, right? What happened?"

"I can answer that." Alfred was standing in the doorway; a grim expression was cast over his face. "But I don't know if you'll like what I have to show you."

"Alfred…I've been beaten up twice in the past two days. I've had to deal with a lot of stuff. All I want to know right now is where my clothes are, and why I was tied up." Arthur was solemn. He had to know. Alfred stared at him, and Arthur was practically begging at this point. "Please tell me!"

Slowly, Alfred's hand went into his pocket. Seconds later, he held his unlocked phone out to Arthur. "Look in the text message inbox," Alfred commanded. Arthur nodded, and quickly browsed through the phone to find the designated inbox. "It's the first message…the one from Ivan."

'_A picture message?_' Arthur thought. '_How is this going to explain anything to me?_' He was skeptical that a single picture message could tell him the whole story. But, when he opened up the message, his jaw dropped instantaneously. There he was. A battered, bruised, bound, and gagged image of himself was on the screen. Arthur wanted to run. He desired nothing more than to be alone and to escape to the confines of his own tiny apartment. That was the only place that he would feel safe and secure in.

"Your clothes are over there on the chair," Mrs. Jones stated. "We'll leave the room to give you some privacy. When you're done, if you want to leave, Alfred can take you home." As soon as Alfred and his mom left the room, Arthur got up and hurriedly put his clothes on. The faster he could get dressed, the sooner he would be alone. He took a moment to collect himself, and make sure that he was calm. Then, he turned the doorknob and opened the door.

"I'm ready to leave now."

_._

The car ride was tensed and awkward. Arthur sat with his back completely towards Alfred, and he gazed out the window the entire time. '_Physical beatings…check! Public humiliation…check! Emotional scarring…check!_' He was on the verge of a mental breakdown. All of the pressure and sadness in his life had been accumulating, and it continued to build up. Arthur wanted to let it all go, but he couldn't do that in front of someone, ESPECIALLY not Alfred Jones. Arthur would be damned if he was going to show any response to the shit he's been dealing with around the leader of the jocks. '_If I say anything, this fucking git will go and tell all of his fucking friends. Did you hear about Arthur? He cried like a fucking baby after Ivan was done with him!_'

"Are you feeling better?"

The voice made Arthur jump. His mind was so preoccupied with other things that he had almost forgotten that Alfred was driving him home. "Fine," he replied. "I'm okay." Arthur continued to stare out the window. Drops of rain were beginning to land on the windshield of the car. It started slowly, but after a few minutes, the light rain turned into a downpour. '_I can't trust him._'

As the gray sky continued to let out rain, Alfred's car arrived at Arthur's apartment complex. Arthur sighed deeply as he opened the door and stepped out onto the sidewalk. To his dismay, Alfred also got out of the car. "Thanks for the ride," Arthur said as he hurried towards the door. But Alfred was still following him for some reason.

"I don't believe you." Alfred said. They were inside the building, and they were almost at Arthur's floor.

"Well I am thankful for the car ride, but I guess you can be a bastard about that too. Who the hell are you to judge me?"

"Someone who can see that you really are hurting inside, despite the front you put up."

"I said I'm okay."

"Are you really?"

"I said I'm fine dammit! I'm okay! I'm okay! I'm okay!"

Arthur's voice started to break, and by the time he finished his sentence, his voice was nothing more than a whisper. The tears he had been fighting so desperately to hold in began to flow out of his eyes, and cascaded down his face. His desperation to enter the room and sadness he had built up over the years was only made much worse by the fact that Alfred was there with him. The one person who Arthur didn't want to witness him crying was standing inches away from him. Arthur tried to put the key in the lock of his door, but he couldn't. His knees felt very weak, and his vision began to blur from the tears. He took support on the door, and continued to cry. '_I'm tired of this…_'

Arthur was trying to pull himself together to no avail. No matter how hard he tried, it would not be so. He was about to collapse completely. The combination of pain, exhaustion, confusion, and depression were proving too much for him. The room began to spin around him. He felt himself slowly losing control of every single aspect of his life. He felt all of the sadness walled up inside him come rushing up to the surface. He felt his public front that he tried so hard to construct come crashing down around him. He felt…

Alfred's arms. Arthur's eyes widened as he felt the strong arms pull him in tightly. Alfred was radiating warmth, warmth that Arthur had never felt before. This feeling was something he never felt with his family, or anyone else for that matter. Being in Alfred's arms made Arthur feel…safe. He could've gotten lost in Alfred's arms, and stayed there forever. Then, Arthur heard a small noise that snapped him back to reality. Was Alfred? No…he would never! But he was…Alfred was also crying.

Arthur looked up to face him. In that instant, blazing sapphire and a royal emerald clashed, as their eyes met. Arthur stared deeply into Alfred's eyes, and he felt like he was seeing Alfred for the first time. His eyes were honest, generous, caring, and sincere. He continued to stare at Alfred, dumbstruck, and desperately searching for the words to form the burning question on his mind. "Why are you doing this for me?"

"I am doing this because no one should have to suffer through anything this bad alone. Arthur, if you're hurting, I want you to tell me! I want to be there for you, and help you in any way I can. That's why I stopped Ivan, and that's why I helped you in the parking lot! I can't stand to see someone be treated the way you get treated! It's not fair!" Alfred replied. "I can see that you've had a lot of shit in your life, and you don't need to tell me exactly what happened. However, I think that you should still be able to live without this pressure and all of this crap!"

"But nobody gives a damn about me! No one ever does anything to help me!"

"Well I do give a damn."

Arthur was at an utter loss for words. No one, except his best friend Kiku, had ever said that they cared about him. And now one person who cared for him was Alfred Jones? Arthur was even more shocked. After several more seconds, Arthur opened up the door to his apartment. "Can you come in?"

"Are you sure it's okay?"

"Yeah. I live alone…and it's not fair that you do all of this for me without even really knowing me. I have had a lot of shit in life, and you deserve to know what has happened to me in the past."

Alfred nodded. He followed Arthur into his apartment, and immediately sat down on the nearest couch. Alfred liked the apartment. It was comfortable. It also brought great peace to Alfred's mind knowing that Arthur had a place to escape from all of the insanity in his life, and to just be himself. Arthur pulled up a chair in front of Alfred, and sat down to face him. After a minute, he slowly opened his eyes to look at Alfred.

"I'll start at the beginning."

_._

_**So what did you guys think? Did you like the chapter? I made Ivan the bully (even though I like Russia) because: 1.) Russia doesn't like England if you recall and 2.) even though I can imitate it well, I don't think you can type a Russian accent. I actually posted this earlier than I expected, and I'm still trying to figure out a good, routine time to post this. So you can mainly expect middle of the week postings. Anyways, if you have any questions, you can ask me by PM or in the review. You can also check out my profile to see all the stories I have written, and fill out the pollfrom YOUR favorite pairing! Anonymous reviews accepted. (No flat out hate please :3) But once again, please subscribe, REVIEW, and FAVORITE! And share with your friends! Thank you!**_


	4. Chapter 4

_**Disclaimer: I DO NOT own Hetalia. Hey everyone! Before I begin, I just want to thank all of my readers! You guys rock! And thanks for all of the reviews! They really motivate me to make the next chapters as soon as possible! You guys are really awesome! So (as always), please read, REVIEW, FAVORITE, and enjoy! Here's chapter 4:**_

_._

Arthur took a deep breath. He clutched his knees tightly with his hands as he sat in his chair. Only Kiku had ever known the truth about him, and no one else ever cared. For Alfred to care was unthinkable. '_No_,' Arthur thought. '_He has a right to know. He's already done so much for me, so I can do this one thing for him_.' Arthur looked deeply into Alfred's brilliant blue eyes one last time before he began to speak.

"When I was 7 years old, my mum died. Now that I think back on it, that's when the abuse started."

_._

The front door slammed shut with a loud bang. The door was followed by loud swearing, and eventually the swearing began to make its way up the stairs. Arthur ran to his bedroom door, attempting to close it before his father reached the top of the stairs. '_Please!_' he thought desperately. Unfortunately, Mr. Kirkland was faster than his son, and he flung the door open, knocking Arthur onto the floor. Arthur quickly spoke up.

"Dad! I was just on my way down to say hi!" Arthur lied, trying hard to appear as sincere as possible. "But you came up to my room before I could go meet you at the do-"

"Like hell you were you little shit. You were trying to shut me out. You know what happens when you do that," Mr. Kirkland said menacingly. "Your dear mum isn't here to help you now."

"I-I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" Arthur apologized. "Please don't hit me! It still hurts from last time!" Arthur curled up into a tiny ball in the corner of his room, desperate to get as far away from his father as possible. He wished that he could just go through the wall, or make the bad guys disappear like Superman could. But all Arthur could do was sit there and endure it.

"Why would I smack you Arthur? Do you really think I would do such a thing?" Mr. Kirkland mocked. "No, I won't smack you."

"Y-you won't? You promise?" Arthur asked, slowly turning around. When he had turned halfway around, he heard a loud crack, and a stinging pain spread all over his face. He looked up with horror to see what had struck him.

"I'm not going to smack you! But I said nothing about using my belt."

_._

"That's horrible!" Alfred exclaimed. "How could that bastard do such a thing?" Alfred was literally shouting by this point. His face turned red with rage, and his fists shook uncontrollably.

"Sit down wanker. That wasn't that bad. The beatings would sometimes go on for hours upon hours without end," Arthur said. "Sometimes it would be smacking, but sometimes it would be punching. Sometimes it would be the belt, and sometimes it would be kicking. That bastard beat me all the time. He blamed mum's death on me, saying that I was a burden to her. With her dead, she would finally be free from the anxiety of putting up with me all of the time…"

"That's bullshit!" Alfred shouted. "How did your teachers not see the bruises?"

"They did actually. When I was in 8th grade, they finally saw my bruises. I blamed it on playing rugby. The teachers ignored it like always. But when I told my dad, he was furious," Arthur explained. "That's when I started wearing these clothes. He told me to wear tank tops so they could see my arms and neck were not bruised. The spiked bracelets hid the ones on my wrist, and my jeans hid the ones on my legs."

Arthur slowly removed the spiked bracelets from his wrists. Once he did, Alfred saw that his wrists were covered in scars and some burn marks. Originally, Alfred thought that Ivan did this to Arthur when he was being beaten up. After hearing that his father inflicted the damage, Alfred's rage increased tremendously. "Because of my…different appearance...the kids at school started to pick on me. This was when the bullying started."

"That damn monster…who the hell does he think he is?"

"He was my father. As time went on, the beatings got worse, but I grew accustomed to the pain, so it wasn't as bad." Arthur looked down at his feet. He was finding it increasingly hard to look Alfred in the eye. '_Why does he care so much about what my father did? It doesn't concern him, and the past is the past…_'

"Then what happened? Did it get worse?" Alfred inquired.

"No," Arthur said. "One day during junior year, it stopped altogether."

"That's a relief. May I ask why?" There was a long pause after Alfred finished the question. '_Shit! I went too far, but I want to know!_' Alfred thought to himself. He heard a small sigh come from Arthur, and then three words.

"He disowned me."

_._

The back seat of his old car was crammed with Arthur's clothes, and the rest of his possessions occupied the trunk. He'd been driving around for a couple of hours, looking to see if he could find a place to stay for the night, but every place turned him down. No hotel wanted to sell a room to a 17-year-old high school student. After an exhausting afternoon of driving, Arthur parked under an overpass and tried to go to sleep. The same scene from earlier that day replayed in his mind a dozen times. Arthur's dad came home in a rage from work. The beating that day had been especially bad. His dad burned him with the ends of his cigars, kicked him until he was almost unconscious, and smacked him until Arthur apologized for the death of his mom. Finally, his dad spoke up.

"Get out of my fucking house. I can't put up with your shit any longer," Mr. Kirkland had said. "You are no son of mine."

'_I'm thankful that I finally left the care of that unmerciful bastard, but I don't know what to do_,' Arthur thought. '_Maybe I should go and apologize…no! Of course not! That asshole tried to kill me on a regular basis! Damn…what should I do?_'

Even though he suffered through years of abuse, Arthur still couldn't think straight. He finally got what he wanted, to be free from that bastard of a father, that was the only life he had ever known. He barely remembered anything from before his mom died, so abuse was all he could recall. '_Thrown away like shit by the people who are supposed to love you above everything else…what the hell?_' Arthur put his hands over his face and began to cry. That night, and several others as well, he cried himself to sleep. He wished that this had all been a bad dream, and that his mom was still alive. He wished that his father hadn't abused him, and he wished that the bullies never got to him either.

Morning came, and Arthur drove off. During the summer, he would go to work at his monotonous job for 10 hours, and then he'd look for some place to stay. When he gave up, Arthur would drive back under the overpass and sleep there. Every day the cycle repeated, and everyday Arthur was unable to find a place to stay.

_._

"So when did you find this place?" Alfred asked. "And how did you afford it?"

"Well I found this place after a couple months," Arthur replied. "Kiku and I have been good friends for years, and his parents helped me pay for the apartment. Of course, most of the money from my job goes into the rent money. Kiku's parents also co-signed for the apartment. In fact, the only reason why I was allowed to stay here is because they're good friends with the landlord, Mr. Yao. Their family has done so much for me that I could never repay them."

"Kiku's one hell of a good guy," Alfred said. "I can see why you guys are good friends."

"Yeah," Arthur retorted. "He's always been there for me…just like…"

Arthur paused. He didn't want to finish the sentence, and he hoped that Alfred just disregarded it. '_Oh shit! Please, dear GOD, let him ignore that! Why the hell did I have to say that? Damn, since when did I care about what I say?_' Arthur held his breath, hoping for Alfred to brush off the slip-of-the-tongue Arthur had just had. But he didn't.

"Just like…?"

'_Shit! What the hell was I thinking! It's Alfred; he's not going to let something go…_' Arthur thought. After a minute of silence, Arthur finally spoke up. "Just like you've been there for me. The past few days I mean…you helped me out several times. You saved me from Ivan once, prevented a detention from Ms. Daniels, and helped me today after…you know…"

Alfred got up and slowly walked over to Arthur. He placed his hand gently on his shoulder, and smiled down at him sincerely. "It's what I do Arthur! I mean, I am the hero! I couldn't let them do that to you."

"You did all of this…and I never said thank you…"Arthur looked up to see Alfred's sincere smile. His brilliant blue eyes shone, and his perfect smile beamed down. Arthur desperately tried to hide the color in his cheeks. Despite all of his efforts, he blushed brilliantly. '_Why am I blushing? I mean, it's not like I actually LIKE him…do I?_' Arthur began to panic. He quickly turned his gaze to the floor, and continued to speak. "So…thanks. Thanks for everything…but you really didn't have to. People expect me to be like this, and for these types of things to happen. That's just what society has molded me to be, an outcast. You have no reason to protect me…"

"Yes I do," Alfred replied in a serious tone. "My reason is a damn good one too."

"Why then? What's your reason? Why do you want to go through all of this for me?" Arthur suddenly felt Alfred's hand lift up his chin. Arthur was once again staring deep into Alfred's brilliant blue eyes. Time seemed to slow down, and Arthur soon became oblivious to all that was around him. All that he seemed to be aware of at the moment was Alfred and himself. He felt his blush deepen, and his stomach was doing flips. Arthur's heart began to race uncontrollably; the feeling was resonating throughout his entire chest. Arthur felt his breathing become shorter, and then…

He felt Alfred's lips on his own. Arthur's eyes widened as he was overtaken by shock. However, the shock quickly subsided, and his eyes slowly closed. Despite Alfred's tough-looking exterior, his lips were as soft as silk. Arthur leaned in, and he began to kiss Alfred back. Arthur's heart was almost beating out of his chest, and he felt like he was on cloud nine. At that moment, the hand that was under Arthur's chin reached up and touched the side of his face. It gently rested gingerly on his cheek, causing Arthur's blush to become even deeper. It was pure bliss, and it was there that Arthur wanted to stay. Time seemed to slow down to a stop, but Arthur didn't mind. Finally, after a few more seconds, Alfred broke the kiss.

"Because I love you Arthur Kirkland."

_._

_**So what did you guys think? Okay…so this is OFICIALLY the last chapter where poor little Arthur gets hurt. But, it was kind of necessary for where I plan on taking the story. Once again, I'd like to thank you guys so much for following my story so far! You guys are amazing! I'd also like to thank FMAvatard for your suggestions and helping me with some editing! The people who make reviews, I love you guys! Thanks so much! Make sure to check out my profile to see my other stories and to answer my poll to VOTE for YOUR FAVORITE pairing. So please, leave your comments and questions in the REVIEWS, and anonymous reviews are active. Any suggestions, PM me. No flat out hate please :3**_


	5. Chapter 5

_**Disclaimer: I DO NOT own Hetalia. Hey everyone! So here I am with another chapter. I tried hard to post this on time for you because of the massive response to the last chapter! It seems like Arthur has finally discovered his knight in shining armor! Or has he? Before I begin, I just want to say that the current day in the story is Friday. At a school I went to, we started on Thursday so we could have two days to get accustomed to class before going in for a full week. So, saving my ranting for the end of the chapter, please read, REVIEW, FAVORITE, and enjoy! Here's chapter 5:**_

_._

Arthur started to back away from Alfred. '_Shit! I only started talking to him yesterday, and he already says he loves me? This sucks…_' Arthur thought. Alfred dropping the "L-bomb" was the last thing Arthur suspected would happen that afternoon. Even though he enjoyed the kiss, things were moving way too fast for him. Around the clock, Arthur tried hard to hide the fact that he was gay. He didn't date. He didn't stare at other guys. Regarding people he liked, Arthur didn't give off any hints at all. '_He's lucky that I AM gay. Otherwise who knows how I would've reacted_.'

"H-how long have you felt this way about me?" Arthur asked. He hoped that Alfred would say "a couple weeks", or some other small amount of time. If he did, then Arthur would easily be able to turn him away. If it was only a week or so, Alfred surely would be able to forget all about his brief infatuation with Arthur.

Alfred's entire body became stiff. His cheeks were turning a bright crimson color. He spoke up after a few minutes of silence. "Well…you see…I guess I fell in love with you…3 years ago."

Fuck. '_Since freshman year? Damn!_' Arthur cursed himself. '_Come to think of it, wasn't there a rumor about Alfred going around junior year?_'

_._

During their junior year, Arthur had seen his entire life crash before his eyes. He tried to isolate himself from the other students, as most of them were insensitive assholes. However, he distinctly remembered a piece of gossip that he heard Elizabeta Hedervary mention after school one day. Normally, Arthur wasn't the type of idiot who tried to learn everything about everyone. But when he heard Alfred's name mentioned, he couldn't resist. Arthur was under the impression that Alfred hated him, so getting in on one of his dirty secrets wouldn't be a bad idea. He could use the secret as leverage against the jock in the future.

"Hey Katyusha, did you hear?" Elizabeta inquired as she approached her rather top heavy friend.

"Hear what Elizabeta?" Katyusha replied sweetly. Katyusha really wasn't the type to spread rumors. However, that didn't mean that she didn't enjoy listening to them.

"It's about Alfred! I heard that he's secretly gay!" Elizabeta said enthusiastically.

"Alfred Jones?" Katyusha asked. "How do you know?"

"Because," Elizabeta snapped. "Roderich told me what Alfred said to him last weekend at Ludwig's post-homecoming party!"

Katyusha was still hesitant. Elizabeta had a reputation for being a gossip, so she had to be absolutely sure that what Elizabeta said was true. "What did Alfred say then?"

Elizabeta leaned in, but the volume of her voice didn't decrease in the slightest. Even from around the corner, Arthur could clearly tell what she was saying. "Okay, so they were talking about relationships and stuff. Roderich said: 'So who are you interested in Alfred? You have got to have someone on your mind!' To which Alfred replied: 'I do! I've been crushing on someone for a while now, but I just don't have the courage to tell 'im.' He's totally gay!"

"Uhh…that doesn't mean anything. Isn't it possible that he could've said that like: 'I just don't have the courage to tell 'em?' He could've been saying THEM instead of HIM. Alfred was probably drunk. You of all people should know that you slur your speech while you're hammered," Katyusha pointed out.

"Well whatever," Elizabeta said. "I think he's gay."

_._

"Why freshman year? You hardly knew me," Arthur stated. "Besides, I wasn't exactly the most social person."

"Well that's part of the reason why," Alfred said. "When I saw you the first time freshman year, it was because you were different that I noticed you. Contrary to popular belief, I really don't like the people on the football team either. Most of them just care about banging someone before the day is over. But you were different. I could tell just from looking at you that you were an amazing and mysterious person. A lot of people I know don't have the guts to do half of the things you do, or go through even a tiny fraction of what you've experienced."

"Look, thanks for everything you've done. But to be honest, I really don't know what to make of all of this. I thought that you hated me up until now. All of these emotions…I just don't know what to think," Arthur admitted. In the past few hours, he had been enraged, broke down, experienced happiness, and been utterly confused. To say that Arthur couldn't think about the situation correctly was an understatement.

"I know this is a lot for you to take in, and it wasn't fair for me to do this to you now," Alfred said. "I'm sorry…"

"Don't be! You haven't done anything wrong. But still…" Arthur continued. "I don't know what to do. I mean you and me…I thought…"

"You don't have to admit anything like that to me Arthur. I know this is difficult for you," Alfred said. "But still, I want to know if you'd..."

"If I'd what?"

"I guess I'm just trying to say…"

"What Alfred? Just spit it out already!"

Alfred closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He'd already gotten over the first obstacle, and all he had to do now was get past the second. "I would like to know…if you'd go out with me."

Arthur was surprised. '_He wants to date me? I could never truly make him happy,_' Arthur thought to himself. "Alfred I…"

"I know you don't quite feel that way about me. But nothing would make me happier than if you did. I promise I would never hurt you, and I will always be there for you," Alfred said.

There was a long pause. Arthur was deep in thought. '_He's sacrificed a lot for me. He's helped me so far when I've needed him…damn! I guess it wouldn't hurt to go out with him once…_' Alfred stared expectantly at Arthur for a moment longer. As silence followed, Alfred hung his head. He'd laid his heart out on the table, and Arthur still didn't like him. Slowly, Alfred walked towards the door. He put his hand on the doorknob, and began to open the door. Suddenly, he heard Arthur speak.

"I'm free tomorrow night. We can go see a movie if you want."

Alfred was stunned. His jaw dropped, and his pulse began to race. He turned around, to see Arthur smiling up at him. "So…that's a yes?"

Arthur gave a small chuckle before responding. "Yes it is."

_._

The plan for Saturday night was to go out for dinner, and then to a movie. Alfred would be at Arthur's apartment to pick him up around 6:00 P.M. to pick him up. Arthur felt incredibly nervous. '_What am I supposed to wear on a date?_' Arthur thought. Throughout his entire life, Arthur had never dated anyone. So this was his official first date, and he was scrambling.

He looked up at the clock. '_Shit! Only 15 minutes left!_' Arthur had already showered and put on a little cologne. Currently, he was trying to pick out something to wear. Eventually, he picked something out. Arthur wore a white t-shirt with a gray and light blue oriental pattern, a pair of torn skinny jeans, and his favorite red converse shoes. Even though Arthur had a smaller frame than some of his other male classmates, he still stayed in shape. His toned muscles could be seen slightly through the white shirt, because it was a little tight on him. Before Alfred arrived, Arthur quickly put on his spiked bracelets. He didn't feel like the outfit was complete until he had them on.

At exactly 6:00, Alfred knocked on the door. Arthur's heart began to race, and he jumped off of the couch. "I'll be there in a second!" Arthur said. '_My first date…I hope it goes well._' He opened the door and saw Alfred beaming down at him.

"Are you ready to go Arthur?" Alfred asked.

Arthur didn't respond right away. He was too distracted by the rest of Alfred to notice what he said. The larger teen had also chosen to wear casual clothes. He was wearing a red v-neck t-shirt, blue jeans, and white Puma sneakers. His t-shirt exposed his muscular arms, and the neckline revealed a small portion of his chiseled chest. All of his hours at football practice had given Alfred a killer body, and Arthur's attention was completely taken by it. As always, Alfred was wearing his eyeglasses, and his bright smile stayed visible on his face.

"C'mon dude! We gotta get going!" Alfred said, snapping Arthur out of his trancelike state.

"Oh yeah, I'm ready whenever you are," Arthur replied. The two teenagers made their way down the stairs of the apartment complex, and got into Alfred's car. Alfred turned the key, and they drove off. After about 20 minutes of driving, they finally arrived at a small Italian restaurant. Alfred said that he had been there many times, but Arthur had never eaten there before. Alfred ordered them both the same thing, cheese ravioli with a homemade tomato and basil sauce. Arthur skeptically looked at the pillow-shaped pasta before trying a small bite. The pasta was amazing!

After their meal, the pair got back into Alfred's car and drove off to the movies. '_We're going to see a movie about a former American president who kills vampires… that's… interesting._' Arthur thought. When it came to movies, nothing really surprised Arthur. He liked all kinds of movies, from horrors to comedies. Alfred however, was scared. He was trembling before they even got to the movie theater!

"Are you sure you want to see this movie Alfred?" Arthur asked him. He purchased his ticket for the movie and waited. "You look kinda spooked."

"Me?" Alfred replied quickly. "I'm super excited for this movie! I mean, I'm a hero! I can handle anything!" He was obviously lying through his teeth. Alfred was absolutely terrified by scary movies. "Hey Arthur, can we stop by the snack bar first? I'm kind of hungry."

"Already? You just ate 20 minutes ago!" Arthur said.

"Yeah I know, but I just want a little something to snack on." A little something turned into 3 boxes of candy and a soda, as well as a large bucket of popcorn. Alfred was a bottomless pit when it came to eating. '_I bet if it he didn't play football, he'd be huge_.' Arthur thought.

Quickly, the pair went into their theater and found a few vacant seats near the back of the room. It took a little extra time for Alfred to get adjusted with his candy, but he managed to get everything in a good position. They came in just at the end of the pre-movie entertainment and programs. Soon after, the lights dimmed in the room, and the screen became clearer. After several previews, the movie began.

_._

_**So what did you guys think? I know this chapter was a little slow, but trust me, things will pick up again quite soon! So what will happen with the movie? What will they see? Who will they see? What's in store for the dynamic duo in chapter 6? Stay tuned to find out! Everything I do is for a reason, so everything will be unveiled soon! Please leave your questions and comments in the REVIEWS. If you want me to give you a special shout out in one of my A/N's, then PM me! Any suggestions? You can leave them in REVIEWS or PM me directly. Anonymous reviews are active. So please feel free to review, favorite, and share this story with your friends! No flat out hate please :3.**_


	6. Chapter 6

_**Disclaimer: I DO NOT own Hetalia (or Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter). But could you imagine if I did? Anyways, here I am with chapter 6 (random applause)! We left off at the movie theater with Alfred and Arthur, going to see a scary movie. I will not spoil any part of the movie, I promise, but I will take ONE dig at Twilight. Now, I do have one question for you guys, but that will come at the end of my chapter! So, please read, REVIEW, FAVORITE, and enjoy! Here's chapter 6:**_

_._

'_Who the hell would come up with this?_' Arthur thought as the movie flashed across the screen. '_Abraham Lincoln…killing vampires? He might as well do something useful and start with the vampires from the Twilight series_.' So far, the movie had been very predictable. Arthur just back and watched the movie in an almost trancelike state. All of the jump scares were boring, and frankly didn't intimidate the teen whatsoever. Arthur glanced over at the other teen, expecting the self-proclaimed hero to have the same bored expression on his face. However, that was not the case.

Alfred's eyes were widened. His fear-stricken face was practically glued to the screen, as he continued to watch the movie. Glancing down slightly, Arthur could see that Alfred was white-knuckling the armrest, and his trembling chest revealed very shaky breathing. "It's just a movie! It's just a movie! It's just a movie!" Alfred chanted to himself softly, making sure not to disturb the other movie goers. Alfred's containers for all of his assorted munchies were already empty, and they were littered around his feet. The containers hid the fact that even his lower limbs were slightly shaking. And then it happened…the music died down.

"Oh shit! Something's going to jump out, I just know it!" Alfred whispered quietly. His voice was barely audible over the sound of a single musical instrument playing a very drawn out note as background music for the scene on screen. Arthur watched Alfred intently, curious to see what his reaction would be when the obvious jump scare took place. He wondered if Alfred would scream, jump, cower, or all three. The suspense was practically killing Arthur. '_Cue reaction in 3…2…1…now!_'

Once again, Arthur had perfect timing. The vampire launched itself at Lincoln, and several people in the audience screamed…including Alfred. Arthur closed his eyes and began laughing quietly to himself. He felt proud that, for a moment, he was braver than the large jock accompanying him to the movie. However, Arthur's brief celebratory moment was cut short by something. He quickly opened his eyes to look at Alfred, and he was once again shocked.

The scene had proven too much for Alfred, as he was now desperately clutching onto Arthur's arm, burying his face in Arthur's shoulder. Arthur quickly stiffened, and he felt his body flush. '_I…I guess this movie is too much for him,_' Arthur thought. A few minutes passed, and Alfred was still in the same position. Slowly, Arthur lifted his hand to rub the jock's back in a comforting motion. "It's okay," Arthur whispered gently. "The monster is gone!" Arthur continued to reassure Alfred for a few more minutes before Alfred finally turned towards the screen once more. However, his head still was resting on Arthur's shoulder, and his arms encircled Arthur's left arm. Alfred felt secure and safe in this position. He was really glad that Arthur was there to watch the movie with him. If it had been just Alfred, he was pretty sure that he would have had a heart attack by this point in time.

After the movie ended, Alfred and Arthur quickly left the theater. Although Arthur thought that the movie was good, Alfred was desperate to get away from the room as soon as possible. It was still relatively early, so Arthur quickly got an idea. "Hey Alfred," he said. "Why don't we go get some ice cream? I'm somewhat hungry again, and it's a little hot out."

"Sure dude!" Alfred replied. "Let's go get some!"

_._

It was a relatively short drive from the theatre to the ice cream parlor. Within minutes of arriving, both teens had large bowls of ice cream in front of them. Arthur was enjoying his bowl of mint chocolate chip ice cream, topped with hot fudge, gummy bears, and bits of Oreos. Opposite the predominantly green bowl towered Alfred's serving of ice cream. He had gotten a large banana split with chocolate and vanilla ice cream, topped with a brilliantly red cherry.

Alfred and Arthur took their time slowly to, not only enjoy their ice cream, but to enjoy each other's company. Although he wouldn't admit it, Arthur was having an incredibly fun time. Recently, Arthur's life had taken a slight turn for the worst, but Alfred seemed to make all of his worries disappear with one brilliant smile. As for Alfred, he was glad that he was finally able to date the one person who he had fallen in love with three years ago. The evening had been perfect, to say the least.

'_I guess this has been a fun date,_' Arthur thought. He paused for a moment, and repeated that word to himself several times. '_My date, Alfred_.' Yes, Alfred was Arthur's date. Yet strangely, he didn't mind. In fact, Arthur enjoyed the fact that it was a date. He wouldn't want it any other way.

Halfway through his gargantuan bowl of ice cream, Alfred spoke up. Alfred had a thought in the back of his head that this was in fact the smaller teen's first date. So, out of natural curiosity, Alfred decided to ask. "So, is this your first date?"

Arthur almost choked on his current spoonful as Alfred suddenly blurted out the question. Almost immediately, Arthur felt his face redden. "Yeah," he replied. "I'm sure you've been on a lot of dates before though."

It was Alfred's turn to blush as Arthur responded. "Uhhh…actually…this is my first date too." Arthur was stunned. Not only was this Arthur's first date, but it was Alfred's too? "You'd think that I would've had many dates before, but I haven't. Ever since I met you freshman year, I've thought of you and only you. I couldn't bring myself to date anyone else."

"Is that so?" Arthur responded. They ate the rest of their ice cream in silence. When they had both finished their bowls, they walked out to Alfred's truck. Once inside, Alfred began the drive back to Arthur's house.

_._

It was approximately 10:00 P.M. when they returned. Alfred got out of the car and walked over to open Arthur's door. When Arthur stepped out of the car, he and Alfred were both standing under the streetlight in front of his apartment complex. The full moon was hanging in the sky, obscured only slightly by a small cloud that had drifted in front of it. Everything that had happened that afternoon made Arthur happier than he had felt in a long time. He started to become sad when he realized that the feeling of warmth and comfort would soon be over as he and Alfred would have to part ways. "Hey," Arthur started, "I had a really fun time tonight…thanks Alfred."

"No problem!" Alfred replied. "I had fun too! Also Arthur…"

"Yeah?"

"I'm really happy you agreed to come out with me." There was a brief moment of silence between the two. A few seconds passed, and then Arthur made a move.

Arthur stood on his toes, and leaned forward to capture Alfred's lips in a kiss. That single movement had taken all of Arthur's courage, and he was hoping with all his heart that Alfred would return the gesture. Suddenly, he felt Alfred's strong arms pulling his body in closer. Alfred began leaning into the kiss as well, and Arthur couldn't have been happier. Slowly, Arthur lifted his arms and placed them around Alfred's neck, and the larger teen stooped down in order to continue the kiss.

Arthur and Alfred took a step, and Arthur's back made contact with the wall of the apartment complex. They broke the kiss momentarily, only so that they could breathe, and then continued. Alfred's soft lips and strong embrace had completely reinforced his promise to Arthur, that he would never hurt him. Arthur felt entirely secure when with Alfred, and he wished for Alfred to stay with him.

A moment passed, and the kiss deepened. As Alfred pulled Arthur closer into his body, Arthur could feel Alfred's heart racing in his chest. He could feel the rise and fall of Alfred's chest, associated with Alfred's steady breathing. He could feel the soft cotton of his v-neck shirt. Suddenly, Arthur felt Alfred softly bite his lower lip, asking for access to Arthur's mouth. Upon consideration, Arthur opened his mouth slightly, and Alfred's tongue slid in. After a brief battle for dominance, which Alfred won, Arthur continued to hold Alfred and enjoy the kiss. The feeling was entirely foreign to him, having someone's tongue dancing around in his mouth. However, Alfred tasted amazing. It might have been the combination of their delicious ice cream and Italian dinners, but Arthur enjoyed every second of the new sensation, and the taste of it.

To Arthur's slight embarrassment, he let out a small moan as the kiss continued. He felt his face redden even more, his body tense up, and his back arch slightly. At that moment, Alfred began caressing Arthur's back gently, and continued to kiss him. This was a moment that Alfred had been hoping he would experience for a long time, and the feeling was incredible. The electric feeling spread through Alfred's body, and he enjoyed every second of the passionate kiss.

Soon after, Arthur broke the kiss, leaving a single strand of saliva connecting their mouths. Arthur looked up into Alfred's spectacular blue eyes, and he smiled. However, every single feeling of happiness and joy fled Arthur's body in an instant as a voice rang out not far away from where they were standing.

"Holy shit! Here I am, on my way to the bar, and I find this?"

About ten feet away from the two teenagers, a man was leaning against a wall. His shoes were worn, old, and covered with dirt. The jeans that were adorned on his legs were ripped in several places, and had more dirt around the legs of his pants. The t-shirt he wore was faded, and Arthur could see a few ashes in several places on the cloth. On the man's right wrist was a small leather watch. Both of his hands were devoid of any jewelry, be it rings or bracelets. The smoke exhaled by the man after taking a drag from his cigarette momentarily covered his face. The look of rage that Arthur was accustomed to was paired with one of total shock.

The man's blond hair was messy, and it appeared as though he had just woken up with a severe case of bed-head. However, his emerald eyes really stood out. They were glaring straight at Arthur, not dropping the high level of intensity for even a brief moment. The man's frame was remarkably similar to Arthur's, and so was his accent. After a few moments of observation, Alfred had also figured out the identity of the mysterious man who had interrupted his brief moment of pleasure with Arthur. It was the same man who beat Arthur. He was the same man who had abandoned him. He was the same man who had left him basically to die, and who had made Arthur's life a living hell.

"Hi dad," Arthur said weakly.

_._

_**So what did you think? Did you enjoy the chapter? I really hope you did. Did you like the kiss scene, or did you feel it was too rushed? I can extend it and really develop it if you would like me to! Now, I have one quick question: I have been asked to write 2 more stories after this one and my GerIta story. They include a DOA One-shot story, and a novel style KibaNaru fiction from Naruto/Naruto Shippuden. Do you want me to write a story? Send me your ideas in the reviews and PM's! Make sure you check out my profile to vote for YOUR favorite Hetalia pairing, and to see my other stories. Please, please, PLEASE REVIEW! The more reviews I get, the sooner I post! So, I hope you enjoyed this chapter very much! Anonymous reviews are active if you do not have an account. No flat out hate please :3. Until next time!**_


	7. Chapter 7

_**Disclaimer: I DO NOT own Hetalia…although I really wish I did. So here I am, back with another chapter! Thanks for the reviews you guys! It means a lot to me! Not to mention, they were hilarious! "Kick him where the sun don't shine?" Well, you'll have to read to find out what happens! And I'll have a little contest too (smirks mischievously). Saving my ranting now for the end, please read, REVIEW, FAVORITE, and enjoy! Here's chapter 7:**_

_._

The color began to drain away from Arthur's face as he looked into the cold and unmerciful eyes of his father. No, his former father. A father wouldn't throw his progeny on the streets like garbage. A father wouldn't beat his small child senseless. A father wouldn't blame everything terrible in his life on his child. A father wouldn't psychologically torment his son to the breaking point. Yet, no matter what had happened between Arthur and his father, Arthur still could not stand up to him.

"First you leave my house, and then you try to practically swallow another man whole?" Mr. Kirkland shouted. He turned towards Alfred, and continued to speak. "Look, he's not the kid you think he is. I'm sorry for any trouble he has caused you. However, I do have to thank you for finding my son. I've been looking for him for ages. If he offended you in any way, tell me. He hasn't always been one for manners. Or any compassionate human emotions for that matter…"

Alfred stood there dumbstruck. This fucker not only had the nerve to show his face around Arthur, but he went as far as to say that ARTHUR was the one who abandoned HIM? Alfred could feel his face slowly turn red. The color wasn't from embarrassment. It was from a pure, unadulterated rage directed specifically at Mr. Kirkland. Alfred clenched his fists, and used every ounce of willpower in his body to keep himself from cold-cocking Mr. Kirkland across the face with a powerful right hook.

"Anyways, now that I found you, it's time for you to come home Arthur. I've been worried sick about you!" Mr. Kirkland said. The tone in his voice sounded like somewhat of a beg, but Arthur knew better. His father was only begging for his punching bag to return to that hell of a home. "Please Arthur, I've missed you! I called the police when you left, because I was afraid that someone kidnapped you! I had them searching day and night, but they didn't find you. Come home!"

Arthur was paralyzed. '_What the fuck? I didn't do anything to you! You were the fucking bastard who made my life a living hell! Now you pull this shit? Your act isn't going to fool anyone_,' he thought. Arthur tried to summon the strength to say those words to his dad, but he couldn't. Arthur continued to stand there and stare at the man. While a part of him absolutely hated the man, he wanted desperately to believe him. He wanted to believe that his dad would apologize, and make up for all the time lost, and make up for everything. Arthur still had a deep attachment to his dad, but it was so complex that he couldn't quite decipher it himself. Be it love or hate, emotions overwhelmed Arthur. Once again, Arthur's dad spoke up. "Please son…I need to have you at home. Come with me, and we can make things right again! It'll be like…"

Mr. Kirkland felt something make contact with his face. No more than a moment later, another object slammed into his stomach. Each spot where he was hit felt as though someone just smacked him with a baseball bat. The punch to his stomach made Mr. Kirkland collapse, and promptly vomit on the ground outside of the apartment complex. He was starting to black out due to an immense amount of pain. However, he was brought back suddenly by another loud sound.

"SHUT THE FUCK UP YOU DAMN BASTARD!" Alfred screamed. "Stop feeding us these bullshit lies! You just want him to return home so you can keep him quiet! You're a fucking abusive hell-bent asshole who ruined his son's life! Shut your damn mouth about Arthur coming home. You only care about yourself! You wouldn't give a flying shit if something happened to him! For once in your pathetic life, do the right thing for Arthur and stay the hell away from him!"

Arthur stared at Alfred. '_Thank you…_' was all he could think at the moment. Alfred had single-handedly managed to do the one thing that Arthur had wanted to do his entire life. Alfred stood up to Arthur's father for him. He protected Arthur from Mr. Kirkland's unending rage for his son. Arthur was completely in awe over the fact that Alfred had actually hit his dad as well. But, Arthur had to admit one thing: that punch was fucking amazing.

Arthur's father slowly stood back up. He was clutching his face and his stomach, and he was wobbling back and forth slightly. Arthur could see signs of the pain radiating through his father's body, as Mr. Kirkland began to wince and stagger around. Suddenly, Mr. Kirkland spoke up. "What the hell was that? I can have you arrested for that you little shit! Assault is illegal in this fine country, and I'm pretty sure that you can go to jail for quite a while for that offense!"

"Assault?" Alfred repeated. "How would you like to face charges for child abuse? You call the police, and I'll tell them how you've abused Arthur for 9 years, both physically and psychologically. You'll go to jail for a lot longer. Besides, I'm fairly confident that my dad, the chief of the police, will take my side of the story over yours." As he was speaking, Alfred pulled a picture out of his wallet, and held it up to Mr. Kirkland. The picture he held depicted Alfred's family. Sure enough, his dad was standing in his police uniform with his arm around his wife and children. "Now, get out of here. If I find out you came back? There will be hell to pay."

Sensing he had lost the argument, Mr. Kirkland turned around left the apartment complex. It seemed as though he was running away from the two boys once he got about two blocks away. Alfred and Arthur began to laugh loudly. After a few more moments, silence fell over them. Arthur slightly shifted back and forth. He put his hands behind his back and looked down at the ground. Suddenly, he spoke up.

"H-hey Alfred," Arthur said

"Yeah Arthur?" Alfred replied.

"I-I was wondering if you could stay at my house tonight…after that incident, I would feel safer if it wasn't just me in my apartment."

"Sure man! Just let me call my mom and let her know."

"And Alfred?"

"Hm?"

"Thanks…for everything."

_._

Alfred shut off the water and draped himself in a spare towel. While Arthur was rinsing off, Alfred called his mom to let her know that he was going to stay the night. To Alfred's surprise, she encouraged it because Alfred's curfew was fast approaching. After he had gotten off the phone, Alfred quickly used Arthur's shower to clean himself off. He pulled on his American flag boxer shorts, and dried his hair. Alfred then folded the rest of his clothes and quietly walked out into the main room of the apartment. It took him only a couple of steps to traverse the entire room. He reached his destination within seconds, and he slowly turned the doorknob to open the door. Alfred stepped into Arthur's bedroom.

To his relief, Arthur was already sleeping. He had every right to! '_He's gone through a lot today,_' Alfred thought. '_He's got to be exhausted! I know I would be_.' Alfred looked over at Arthur and studied his features more intently. Arthur looked peaceful while he was sleeping. His face was relaxed, and so was the rest of his body. Arthur showed no signs of stress, and he didn't stir around one bit. Arthur's look was one of pure innocence, untouched by the hatred of the world. '_So beautiful_.'

Alfred carefully peeled back the covers and climbed into the bed with Arthur. He made sure to get in without disturbing Arthur from his sleep. Arthur hardly got sleep, and any time he did, it was usually plagued with nightmares. Once Alfred was fully in the bed, he gently laid back, and rested his head on a pillow. He looked over at Arthur. His blond hair gently rested over his eyes, and his breathing was one steady rhythm. Even though there was room between them, Alfred could feel the heat radiating off of Arthur's body. Suddenly, Alfred was overcome by a small desire. The thought remained in his mind, and Alfred debated whether or not to take the chance and perform the action. He decided that he would certainly try it once. Cautiously, Alfred inched closer to Arthur's sleeping frame. He was staring directly at Arthur's scarred back, and that fueled his desire even more. Slowly, Alfred approached his destination.

He gently lifted his arm up, and wrapped it around Arthur's waist, pulling him closer into Alfred's body. The feeling of Arthur's skin on his was amazing. He could feel the strong rhythm of Arthur's heart beat, and he could sense his soft breath. However, Alfred wasn't doing this just for the sake of cuddling. Alfred felt as though he were protecting Arthur better, and making sure nothing bad would happen to him. With just the simple gesture of having his arm around Arthur, he felt like he could do anything to protect him. Alfred vowed to himself at that moment that he would keep his promise to Arthur, no matter what the cost. He loved Arthur with all his heart, and he would make sure that no one bad would get to him.

"I love you Arthur."

_._

The early morning sunlight leaked into Arthur's apartment through his curtains. It illuminated the room with a soft, inviting glow that also gave off a little bit of warmth. Arthur's last dream of the night had ended, and he was slowly beginning to wake up. He opened his right eye slightly, and then repeated the same action with his left eye. Arthur felt completely well rested. '_Wait…how come I don't feel…_'

A good night's sleep almost never occurred for Arthur. Something was off. He usually woke up either in a cold sweat, crying, or in a paralyzing fear that usually had its roots in his traumatic past. However, this morning, he woke up feeling incredibly calm. He almost felt…happy. Then, as if he found the answer to his question, he felt a familiar arm pull his waist gently.

Arthur glanced down under the covers, and he discovered that Alfred's arm was there, pulling him in. Arthur didn't fight the gentle tug. Instead, he nestled up right into Alfred's inviting body, and placed his hand on top of Alfred's. Arthur instantly became warmer as his hand made contact with Alfred's. Arthur knew one thing: he had never woken up to anything more pleasant.

_._

_**So did you guys like the chapter? I hope you did! Sorry I didn't post sooner, they shuffled around my work schedule so I had to go in early. And by the way, cold-cocking is punching someone really hard. Most of the time, people get knocked out. Anyways, here's my contest:**_

**Want an exclusive sneak peek at the next chapter? A quick look at what's to come in the future? All you have to do is type the phrase: "I can haz cookies?" in your next review! Limit to one entry per person. Once at least 5 people have entered, I will randomly select one person to win!**

_**And here's my deal with posting earlier. If I somehow manage to get 10 reviews, for every 10 reviews I get, I will post a day earlier. Now, please make sure you REVIEW and FAVORITE! P/M me if you want (I don't bite)! Anonymous reviews are active. No hate please! See ya next time!**_


	8. Chapter 8

_**Disclaimer: I DO NOT own Hetalia. I am alive! I'm so sorry for not being able to post recently! Please let me explain, I had volunteering (something I do every year), a really busy work schedule (3 people were out last week), and many summer assignments. Also, last week I got sick…so I will push through and write this chapter! But, I think you might forgive me with this chapter once you read it (winks)! Now, the cookies were given, and there will be ANOTHER CONTEST! I will make this a regular thing. Also, if you're wondering: "Why cookies?" there was a reason. So saving my ranting, please READ, REVIEW, FAVORITE, and enjoy! Here's chapter 8:**_

_._

The beautiful blue sky was accented with several white, puffy clouds that floated aimlessly in the air. The radiant sun had momentarily disappeared behind one, before it completely reemerged on the other side. A light breeze was drifting through the trees, creating a gentle rustling sound as it passed through the emerald green leaves. Alfred reached out his hand and felt the soft grass underneath his palm, while the rest of his body was still on the checkerboard patterned blanket. Sitting in the middle of the blanket was a small basket that had been loaded with all kinds of goodies for him to eat. However, in the hour that he had been there, the basket had been emptied of most of its contents. Alfred inhaled the fresh air, and he let out a small sigh as he exhaled. The sunlight that reached its way down to the blanket was warming Alfred's body, but the temperature wasn't unbearable. The secluded forest hid the blanket from any unwelcome visitors, and it was one of Alfred's favorite spots. The tranquil feeling in the air was very relaxing to Alfred. It was a perfect day.

Alfred sat up and gazed out at the lake in the middle of the grand forest. Several ducks were swimming across the translucent, crystal like surface. They left behind small trails and ripples as they effortlessly glided through the water. Closer to the bank, a number of lily pads that were crowned with pink flowers decorated the water. If one looked closely enough there were several schools of fish cutting through the liquid, chasing one another, as if they were engaging in a friendly game of tag. The scene that played out in front of Alfred was both serene and relaxing. If it were that kind of day, Alfred would have gladly jumped in the water and enjoyed a quick swim. However, there was something much more appealing to Alfred than swimming at the present time. Arthur Kirkland was lying on the blanket a few inches away, gazing up at the sky.

Alfred gazed over at Arthur, and took in the beautiful sight before his eyes. Arthur's blonde hair hung just over his eyebrows, and it gently caressed his ears. Traveling further down his face, Arthur's brilliantly emerald-colored eyes were wide open, and they held an expression of pure happiness. This had been one of the few times Alfred had seen this emotion in his eyes, and he was filled with joy over the fact that he was able to witness this marvel. Arthur's lips were slightly parted, and his breathing was slow and gentle. His face was sprinkled with a few freckles here and there, but that seemed to complete his look. Arthur's lithe form was adorned today in a red v-neck t-shirt, which showed off a small portion of his fairly muscular chest. His slender waist was hugged tightly by a brown belt, which firmly held up his navy jeans. If Alfred could describe the blonde laying next to him in one word, he wouldn't be able to choose one adequate enough to fit this spectacularly amazing person.

Arthur reached into the basket and searched around for a specific item. After a few seconds, his hand withdrew from the wooden object, and it was holding a small chocolate chip cookie. While Arthur would've preferred scones, Alfred was the one who packed the basket. However, after sampling the cookie he held in his hand, that thought was quickly discarded. The cookie was bursting with flavor, accentuated perfectly with tiny, oozing chocolate chips. Its sweet taste was dancing on Arthur's tongue as he consumed the round desert. He wished that he had a cool glass of milk to wash it down, because nothing went better with cookies than milk! When he was very little, his mom would bake fresh cookies all the time, and they would share a few on the porch with fresh milk. It was one of Arthur's better childhood memories.

Alfred, who had momentarily looked out at the beautiful landscape surrounding them, glanced back at his boyfriend. He was once again admiring his perfect face, when suddenly he noticed something. After scanning his face, in attempt to memorize its features, he had spotted a few miniscule objects resting on Arthur's lower lip. While he was naturally a very neat eater, there were a few crumbs left behind from his cookie. Alfred stared at them for a moment before Arthur caught his gaze in a brilliant clash of sapphire and emerald orbs. He followed the path of Alfred's stare, and then he spoke up. "I'm sorry, is there something on my face?" he asked. Arthur reached up and brought his hand to his mouth. However, Alfred grabbed his wrist before his slim fingers made contact with his skin.

"Let me get that for you," Alfred said softly. He leaned in closely to Arthur, and captured his lips in a kiss. No matter how many times they kissed, Alfred could never get enough. After finally succeeding in asking Arthur out, Alfred was finally able to enjoy and experience a relationship with the person he had loved for years. Every kiss to him felt like a first kiss, and it was incredible. Alfred leaned in a little bit more, maintaining contact with Arthur's silky smooth lips the entire time. Gently, Alfred reached his arm around and pulled Arthur on top of his body, causing Arthur to blush. Arthur briefly pulled away and let out a small gasp as he felt the strong arm lift him onto his boyfriend's reclined body, but he quickly resumed the kiss once he got used to his new position.

Time seemed to slow down around the two as they deepened the kiss. Alfred felt heat radiating off of Arthur's body, and he sensed that his own heartbeat was quickening in pace. Gradually, Arthur's lips parted, and Alfred gently slid his tongue into the mouth of the stunning Brit above him. A battle commenced as their tongues danced and intertwined, fighting for dominance. The dance, while it was intense, also felt strangely graceful as Alfred deepened the kiss with Arthur. Arthur began to moan into the kiss, and Alfred felt himself become slightly feverish. The amount of pleasure from the kiss was perfect to Alfred, and he wished that it would continue. Eventually, Arthur succumbed and Alfred began to trace every inch of his boyfriend's mouth. They momentarily broke the kiss to surface for air, and then resumed with the same level of intensity. Alfred enjoyed the taste of Arthur as he continued to trace around his mouth. He tasted the delicious lunch that he had packed for both of them, and more prominently, he tasted the delectable chocolate chip cookie. This taste reminded Alfred of his secondary purpose, as he withdrew his tongue and licked the crumbs off of Arthur's lower lip. "That's better," Alfred said with a smirk.

"Because you got the crumbs for me," Arthur replied seductively, "allow me to show you a proper thank you." He leaned back in and their lips made contact again. Arthur's hand came to rest on Alfred's cheek, and it began to gently caress his face. After a few moments, Alfred felt the hand begin to move south. Alfred felt the hand gently brush across his clothed chest and abs, and eventually reach his waistline. After a brief pause, the hand slid up underneath the thin cloth and began to feel Alfred's skin. He let out a gasp as the sensation was making its way up his body. Slowly, Arthur removed Alfred's shirt, exposing his muscular chest and defined abs. Alfred shuddered a little bit at the feeling of the air hitting his unclothed upper body. He felt himself begin to blush brilliantly, and simultaneously felt a little bit of blood run south. While Alfred was still in a slight shock from the surprising advancement from his boyfriend, Arthur took that brief moment to take off his own shirt.

Alfred looked up and gazed at Arthur's slim, yet muscular frame. Any self restraint that he possessed at that moment in time drained away as he was overtaken by the appetizing sight in front of him. Alfred quickly flipped over, pulling Arthur underneath his body, and leaned down for a kiss. However, his lips slowly migrated south, and he was soon kissing Arthur's neck. This simple action elicited a gasp from Arthur, which was followed by a moan. Alfred kissed down his neck, and reached Arthur's collarbone. He began to gently suck on the spot, turning it a bright red. Alfred felt Arthur squirm underneath him, but it wasn't to escape. No, Arthur wished that Alfred would move a little faster. But, Alfred went back up and continued to kiss Arthur's neck. He heard Arthur begin to moan his name as he kissed his neck. "A-Alfred!" he whimpered.

Alfred moved his hand lower, and began to work on unfastening the belt around Arthur's waist. After completing his task, Alfred undid his own belt. While he did this, he heard Arthur say his name again, only this time it was a little louder. "Alfred!" Arthur said. Alfred ignored the Brit as he returned to kissing him. His kisses trailed down Arthur's body, and reached his waistline in a matter of moments. He began to remove Arthur's pants, revealing the bulge in his boxers, when he suddenly heard a shout.

"Alfred!"

_._

Alfred's eyes shot open, and he was staring right into the brilliant emerald eyes of Arthur Kirkland. Alfred felt comforted by the sight, until one thought crossed his mind: he had been dreaming. Suddenly, he felt a wave of worry wash over him. Arthur spoke up again. "What happened? I woke up, and you were here with me. All of a sudden, I heard you begin to hyperventilate. Are you okay Alfred?" he asked with a look of concern on his face.

"Y-yeah," Alfred replied. "I was just having a dream…"

"I can tell," Arthur continued. "And from the look of you, you really liked that dream." It took a moment for Alfred to register what Arthur had said. After a moment, he looked down and realized that he rolled out of the covers in the middle of his sleep. That's not all. He also noticed that he was pitching a boxer-tent. Alfred felt his face go a deep shade of red, and he tried to think of something to say.

"Y-yeah…" he finally said sheepishly. "I guess I did enjoy it."

"Well that's good," Arthur stated. "By the way…" He planted a chaste kiss on Alfred's lips. "Thanks for staying with me last night. It was nicer to have someone here after dealing with my dad than having to be here alone. I'm just glad that he doesn't know which apartment is mine!" Arthur smiled and began to laugh. Alfred was instantly warmed by this sight, and he began to relax. If there was one thing that made him happy when he woke up from the dream, it was the fact that Arthur was there when he woke up. Alfred would never admit it to anyone, but he was afraid every morning that when he got up and out of bed, he would realize that his entire relationship with Arthur was just a faint and fading dream. His thought process was interrupted by Arthur's voice. "I'm going to make some breakfast! Do you want anything?"

"Actually," Alfred said, "can I make you something? Just a little treat?"

"Sure!"

Alfred smiled as he headed into the tiny kitchen in the apartment and began to make breakfast for both of them. '_Maybe one day,_' Alfred thought to himself.

_._

_**So what did you guys think? You guys asked, and I gave you your cookie! I have to have a little fun with you every once in a while! And for you people who P/M'ed me asking for lemons, I say: "Not this time! But in the near future? Maybe :p" And remember, before someone says it, Arthur was the one who woke up at the end of the last chapter...NOT ALFRED. Alfred was still asleep. But for now, its c**__**ontest time! Once again:**_

**Want an exclusive sneak peek at the next chapter? A quick look at what's to come in the future? All you have to do is type the phrase: "Barrels! What have you done with Stephano?!" in your next review! Limit to one entry per person. Once at least 5 people have entered, I will randomly select one person to win! Deadline for entries is 96 hours after publishing time.**

_**And again, for every 10 reviews I get I will post a day early, AND I WILL STICK TO IT THIS TIME! Even if I get sick… So please, if you want to talk to me personally, you can always P/M me! I promise I don't bite :p. Now, please make sure you REVIEW and FAVORITE! Anonymous reviews are active. No flat out hate please! See ya next time!**_


	9. Chapter 9

_**Disclaimer: I DO NOT own Hetalia.**_

_**A/N: Hey everyone! I'm back for another chapter! Once again, I would like to thank all of my readers for your awesome support! Reviewers? You guys are AMAZING! Thank you so much for all of your feedback, because it really does help motivate me to write these. As promised, here is the next chapter early! I was supposed to update it yesterday...but I fell asleep before posting time. SORRY! Anyways, I switched my routine update day to Saturday because school starts up again soon. So, please READ, REVIEW, FAVORITE, and enjoy! Here's chapter 9:**_

_._

Alfred stayed with Arthur for a majority of the day. After the delicious breakfast that Alfred made, they lounged around in the tiny apartment for a couple of hours. However, their time was cut short when Mrs. Jones called Alfred. So, immediately following a short goodbye kiss, Alfred walked out the door and headed home. He would see Arthur at school tomorrow. '_Oh shit! We have school tomorrow!_' Alfred thought suddenly. He wasn't worried about returning. It was Arthur's return to school that was the focus of concern in Alfred's mind. He quickly recalled the text message that Ivan sent out, and he was absolutely certain that the message wasn't just sent to Alfred…

'_Oh God!_' Alfred panicked. '_What will people say? Maybe Ivan just sent it to me! Yeah! Not many people talk to Ivan anyways because they're always so scared of him. Hopefully everyone just deleted that message._' No matter what Alfred thought of, he knew that he hoped in vain. That message was sent around the school, and Arthur was going to have one hell of a day tomorrow. But, Alfred was going to be there to support Arthur at every turn. He already made that promise to himself, as well as told Arthur that he would protect him. This raised another potentially problematic situation: Alfred an Arthur never hung out, so his friends might ask why Alfred would take Arthur's side and defend him.

'_Social life in high school is a fucking minefield. You try to make someone happy, and you end up pissing someone else off. Almost nothing ever goes your way!_' Alfred desperately tried to think of a plan that would appease everyone, but he couldn't. Each situation that Alfred thought of either led him to revealing his relationship with Arthur, or completely shattering Arthur's faith in him. Alfred's mind was racing to find a simple solution, but he just couldn't reach one. One way or another, something was going to go down when they returned to school.

_._

Arthur trudged along his morning route to school, absolutely terrified of what the day had in store for him. Out of fear and the desperation for accompaniment, Arthur asked Kiku to join him. Along the way to the school, Arthur had filled in Kiku about everything that had happened, with regards to the bullying. Kiku didn't have to know about his relationship with Alfred, at least not yet. "So you see, I have no idea what happened to that fucking wanker. He could be expelled, or he could still be around here somewhere. I don't know what to do…" Arthur sighed.

"Do not worry Arthur-kun. I am sure you will be fine," Kiku said in reply, patting his best friend on the back. He was deeply concerned for Arthur's wellbeing. Although Kiku knew that he was there for comfort, he wasn't entirely sure what he would be able to do if someone confronted Arthur. Kiku was a pacifist, and even though it would pain him to sit on the sidelines, he couldn't aid Arthur in a fight. It was against his moral values. But, he would be there for emotional support. "Just remember, no matter how bad it gets, you can always talk to me. I will do my best to understand."

"Thanks Kiku," Arthur smiled. They rounded the corner, and were approximately a hundred yards from the school. Fortunately, they had arrived early enough so that there were only a few people in the building. The two teens quickly crossed the parking lot and entered the building, just near the library. They decided to stay in the library until homeroom because not very many people went into that room. Kiku always spent his time in the library researching various topics for projects, and he testified to the fact that he saw only a very few amount students ever use the facility, much less one of the "super popular" students.

Nonetheless, the duo decided to sit at the table in the back corner of the room. It would be easier to conceal themselves, or Arthur at least, from anyone entering the library. This was possible because of the massive bookshelves, loaded with various assortments of books. If someone showed up, Arthur could easily slip between bookshelves and easily hide momentarily. But until that happened, Arthur pulled out his homework and started to scribble in answers. Every so often, Kiku would have to help Arthur, but he was primarily watching the door, alerting Arthur if the door opened. After about 20 minutes, the door opened, and Alfred slipped inside.

"Arthur, are you okay?" Alfred asked quickly. After his inquiry, he waved at Kiku, who just returned the gesture with a slight nod of his head.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Why, is something wrong?" Arthur responded.

Alfred traversed the room, and promptly sat down in one of the vacant chairs. He hesitated for a moment, and then spoke up. "You remember that text message that I showed you? The one Ivan sent?" Arthur nodded. "Well, it wasn't sent to just me. As I feared, it was sent to almost half of the school…" Alfred concluded in a grim tone. "I can help you in the classes we share, but that's about it. If you really need me at any point in the day, send me a text. My phone is always on. But for now, I have to go to homeroom. I'll see you in chemistry." With those final words, Alfred departed, leaving Kiku and Arthur alone once again.

Arthur was paralyzed. He was frozen with fear over the message. Even though he had a feeling that it was probably sent to a lot of people, the realization that his premonition had come true gave rise to an entirely new level of panic. Arthur tried to think of what he could do, but his thought process was abruptly interrupted by the chime of the first bell, signifying that homeroom started in five minutes. Arthur and Kiku got up, and then headed for the door. Since their lockers were on opposite sides of the school, like their homerooms, they had to part ways.

"Are you sure you'll be okay?" Kiku asked.

"I'll be fine," Arthur replied. "These fucking gits can't do anything to me that I can't handle." With that, they walked their separate paths towards their homerooms.

_._

The moment that Arthur stepped into the hallway, the loud chatter and laughter had turned into awkward silence accompanied by various whispers. Arthur ignored all of the stares and continued to walk to his locker, hoping that he would be able to reach his first checkpoint of the day without-

"BSDM FREAK!" one student shouted.

"BONDAGE LOVER!" interjected another.

"MAN SLUT!" yelled a third.

And there they were. The insults just started pouring out from various students. Arthur quickened his pace to a near run, and after a few more seconds, he reached his locker. Arthur quickly entered the combination and opened the locker. Unfortunately for him, the scene inside the small confines of the metal storage area was much worse than the insults. Inside, there were several copies of the picture folded up and stuffed into his locker, each with separate notes written on them. If Arthur had to guess, he'd say that there were maybe thirty pieces of paper stuffed inside the locker in total.

While he was standing there, more students had continued to whisper insults as they passed by him. Arthur had never felt such a combination of extreme embarrassment and unadulterated rage in his life. As the jeers kept coming, Arthur kept getting angrier. He had collected the pieces of paper in his locker, and was now holding all of them. Each taunt directed at him was punctuated by a tightening grip on the now crumpled paper. He couldn't take it anymore.

"JUST SHUT THE BLOODY HELL UP YOU GODDAMN BASTARDS!" Arthur screamed. The sudden outburst from Arthur frightened several of the students, and it certainly stunned the rest. They all stood there with their eyes wide open as they continued to the listen to the stream of hate flowing from the British teenager. "You think I enjoy this shit? No! But you're too fucking insensitive to give a rat's arse! If you must know, your damn 'beloved Ivan' did this to me! Before you perverted wankers get the bright idea to say anything, it was his damn fault that I was tied up! I guess you think I love being covered in bruises! Why the hell would anyone enjoy that? I'm fucking sick of your damn bullshit; it's always you fuckers who cause me all of these damn problems! So for once in all of your pathetic existences, FUCK OFF!"

All of the commotion in the hallway caused several teachers to emerge from the rooms and run, or waddle, at breakneck speed into center of the crowd. The teachers were staring at Arthur Kirkland, about ready to give him a piece of their minds, and reprimand him for everything, but he was one step ahead. "Oh great, here we go! You shouldn't say anything, because you've played just as big a part of this as everyone else. You damn teachers always say: 'If you see something, report it! We'll help you!' Well where's my help? Some of you have seen the bruises, I know you have. Teachers are still here in the school after class hours, so why didn't any of you run out to stop him? I saw several of the teachers' cars in the parking lot, but not one 'figure of authority' came running to my rescue. So don't judge me you damn hypocrites!"

Arthur was still shaking in rage, and he was about to tear into everyone again, before he saw Alfred. He was now inside the circle of students, and he was slowly approaching Arthur. It took every fiber of Arthur's being not to break down at that moment. A small part of Arthur still believed that Alfred was only pretending to like him, as a prank or a dare. But when he felt Alfred's arms wrap around him, he knew instantaneously that Alfred would always keep his promise. Alfred spoke up softly, cutting the tense silence with a couple of words. "It's ok Arthur. I'm here for you."

Kiku, who had been looking on from the back for some time, forced his way into the circle. He also wrapped his arms around Arthur. "Me too Arthur-kun," Kiku said. Following behind Kiku was Wang Yao, one of Kiku's good friends, and the son Arthur's landlord. Some people finally began to understand the situation. Most of them had only ever gone along with the public opinion. None of them had ever dared to be different, and none of them had ever broken through the veil of someone's expectations of them. Though they could never truly understand all of Arthur's pain, they could at least do their best to ease it. Most of the student body only knew Arthur by his looks. Very few of them could say that they actually knew Arthur.

One by one, some students began to join in on the group hug, which was growing by the minute. Arthur was finally calmed down, but he was in shock over the sudden change of heart of many people. However, if there's one thing Alfred had taught him over the past few days, it was to try to see the better in people. Because of Alfred, Arthur decided to try and trust everyone who had begun to apologize to Arthur personally. It seemed as though things were finally starting to go Arthur's way.

_._

_**Hello! So I'm sure some of you were pretty worried there! Don't worry, because as you can see, Arthur can take care of himself! I know some of you said that Arthur seems a little weak for his character, so I thought that I should include this scene. Anyways, contest time!**_

**Want a sneak peek at the next chapter? All you have to do is type the phrase: "****The Krusty Krab pizza is the pizza for you and me!" into your review! Once AT LEAST 5 people enter, I will pick a winner and send them the sneak peek!**

_**Yes, that is from Spongebob (which I don't own). So if you want a sneak peek at the next chapter, put that phrase somewhere in your review! Same rules for posting early as well. Ten reviews=one day early! Anyways, thanks for reading! I HAVE DECIDED TO WRITE A LEMON! However, I will not tell you when it is! *Insert smirk here*. So, anonymous reviews are active, no flat out hate please! Please REVIEW and FAVORITE! Check out my page for my other stories! Feel free to P/M me as well! Until next time!**_


	10. Chapter 10

_**Disclaimer: I DO NOT own Hetalia.**_

_**A/N: Hey everyone! I'm back with yet another chapter! I'm so sorry for the late post! Classes started last week, and I've been UBER busy…but it's still here! I wonder if anyone actually reads my little speech in the beginning, or if they just skip to the chapter. Either way, I'm glad you're back! Now, last chapter was the last of the bullying. I PROMISE! I just really didn't like writing the bullying parts anymore because it made me too sad. So, I had to find a way to put an end to it. That being said, I still have a few tricks up my sleeves, and a lemon in the bowl of fruit in my house! For now, please read, REVIEW, FAVORITE, and enjoy! Here's (I can't believe I'm already here!) chapter 10:**_

_._

Arthur quickly opened his locker and placed his books inside, only to exchange them for a few more books and a small lunchbox. It was fifth period, and that meant lunch. After closing his locker and replacing the lock on it, he headed down the hallway. A few minutes later, he was up on the roof, and sitting in his usual spot. While Arthur enjoyed the silence and the brief moment to collect himself after the events of the morning, he felt as though something was missing. Arthur looked through his lunch bag, but all of the contents were there. All of his supplies for the rest of his classes were in his backpack. Suddenly, the door to the roof creaked open, and the missing item poked its head through the opening. Alfred came up to join Arthur for lunch, but he wasn't alone. Kiku was following closely behind. "Can we join you?" Alfred requested.

"Sure!" Arthur said. He motioned to the empty bench space next to him, and the two other teens started to walk towards him. Arthur welcomed the unexpected company, and he flashed them a warm smile. After the brief gesture, Arthur returned to his eating his thin sandwich, only to be interrupted by a rough hug. He dropped his food and turned up to face his sneak attacker, who only turned out to be Alfred. "What the bloody hell are you doing?!" Arthur shouted.

"Dude, that was awesome!" Alfred replied. "The way you stood up to those douche bags in the hallway was epic! And when you put the teachers in their places, I couldn't be prouder. Hopefully that puts an end to this whole Ivan mess." Alfred's concern had all but vanished entirely. While he wanted to believe that everyone would want to be friendly to Arthur after the incident, a small part of him still thought that there were some who were out to get him in retaliation of Ivan getting expelled. So that's what Alfred was there for. He hoped that if people saw Arthur hanging out with Alfred, appearing in public as good friends, that more people would accept Arthur. His train of thought was broken when the timid Japanese student spoke up.

"I agree with Alfred," he stated plainly. "It's a good thing you did say something, or else this might have gotten worse." Arthur couldn't help but have the same opinion as Kiku. He didn't dwell on the thought for too long, but he figured that if he hadn't lashed out, then the bullying would have increased tenfold. What had started out as a terrible day for Arthur was quickly becoming a pleasant one. While he didn't expect everyone to have the sudden epiphany, he didn't deny it either. Anything he could do to put all of the bullying aside and start over with a clean slate was welcome. However, he still couldn't help but feel like…

"Alfred!" shouted an obnoxious voice from the door, interrupting Arthur's thought process. Arthur quickly turned around to see the source of the sudden outburst, only to be staring directly at a pair of brilliant, crimson eyes. The teen's hair was abnormally white, and his pale skin made him quite a sight to behold. His t-shirt had a rather large eagle on it, hugging his skin tightly. His jeans were slightly ripped, but they were held up by a black and white checkered belt. The boy also, like Arthur, was wearing spiked bracelets on both of his wrists. Arthur rarely saw the albino around school, but he always heard rumors about him and his incredibly large ego. While he behaved the complete opposite from his strict, conservative, and serious brother, Gilbert Beilschmidt was still liked by many people around the school. No more than a second later, he shouted again. "Alfred! I've been looking all over for you! I saw you up here from the cafeteria!"

"Hey Gil!" Alfred replied. "So what do you need? Did you get rejected again?" Alfred smirked at his last statement. While Gilbert was one of the popular kids, he was always getting rejected by various girls. His most recent rejection was at the hands of the Hungarian beauty Elizaveta. They claimed it was because they couldn't put up with his massive ego, as well as his pure "awesomeness" (as Gilbert referred to it). At this, Gilbert just began to laugh.

"Kesesese! I could get any girl I wanted to in a matter of seconds! Anyways, I'm just here to ask if you're coming to my party this Saturday!" Above all of his…less than attractive qualities in his personality, Gilbert was known for throwing one hell of a party. His parents let him throw one every year, and more than half of the school was invited. Of course, Arthur had never been to a party, so he wouldn't have been able to know to what degree of intensity this party really was. However, from what he's overheard from some of the school's "popular" kids, it was the party to top all parties.

"I'm looking forward to it!" Alfred replied. "But, do you think I could bring my friends with me too?" Alfred motioned to Kiku and Arthur, and Gilbert thought about it for a second before replying. Gilbert was in the hallway when Arthur had his sudden outburst, and while he respected him for it, Gilbert wasn't really sure if he wanted to accept Arthur quite yet. However, Alfred had been one of his best friends for years, so he didn't want to let him down.

"Kesesese! Sure they can come!" he laughed. In that instant, Arthur was filled with excitement, and a strong sense of dread. He'd never been to a party, and recently, he had criticized some other people of basically being alcoholics and partying all the time. So why would Arthur have any reason to go to one? Arthur found his thoughts immediately drifting to one particular individual. It's because of Alfred. Yes, Arthur would go to the party to make Alfred happy. "And Alfred…" Gilbert added, "I also invited Katyusha! I heard she's got a pretty big crush on you. I know she also has some other pretty big things!"

Arthur went red. Not with embarrassment, but with jealousy. He quickly realized his drastic change in color, and turned around to avoid being spotted by someone, and questioned for his reaction. If there was one thing that Arthur didn't want to do, it was answer questions from the "Awesome Gilbert" or Kiku. How dare Gilbert say that about Katyusha in front of Arthur! Even though no one knew of their relationship, Arthur was almost tempted to speak of the taboo topic, just to get Gilbert to shut up. Arthur didn't want to imagine Alfred with another person. Arthur wanted Alfred to stay his. While he would never admit that to anyone else, Arthur wanted Alfred to stay by his side. After all Alfred had done for him, he wanted to stay with Alfred, and to be able to make him happy, in hopes that he could one day repay him. He was snapped back from his train of thoughts by the sound of Alfred's voice.

"Thanks man, but I'm good. I don't like Katyusha like that. You can take that for a spin if you want to, but I'm not going near her," Alfred replied calmly. A little bit of blush was visible on Alfred's cheeks before he continued on. "Besides, I already like someone, so I can't go with anyone else." Hearing those words made Arthur instantaneously happy, and he wanted nothing more than to hug Alfred. However, he couldn't do so in this situation without telling someone the secret of their relationship. Since they hadn't gone public yet, every move they made together had to be in secret. Even the slightest gesture could possibly send up a little red flag. So for now, Arthur just settled with the one available option. He walked over to Alfred and patted him on the shoulder.

"I'm sure that person would be proud to know that," Arthur said softly. He felt Alfred tense slightly at his tender touch. Feeling that he did something wrong, Arthur started to withdraw his hand, before Alfred placed his on top of Arthur's. Giving it a gentle, yet inconspicuous, squeeze. Alfred turned around and smiled brilliantly at Arthur. While Gilbert and Kiku didn't make a big deal out of the brief occurrence, that small moment made Alfred feel invincible. It was always comforting to know that Arthur was behind him. While he knew not to expect a full blown confession of anything from the smaller British teenager, he was content with anything he would receive from him. Their short connection was interrupted by the albino student's loud voice.

"Yeah! Just make sure you hook up with whoever it is!" Gilbert said. "Now remember, the party is this Saturday at 7:00! Don't show up too late, or the fun will have already started! Kesesese, and if you want to, you can bring a swim suit and towel for my pool outback." Gilbert rambled on and on about the details, trying to be absolutely certain that the blonde quarterback and his two friends would not forget anything. As he neared the end of the list, Gilbert was almost completely out of breath. "So I can count on you to be there?" The three teenagers nodded. "Okay then! I'll see you guys later!"

Gilbert headed back towards the door, and quickly exited the roof. Once he was out of sight, the three remaining students sat back down. While Alfred was filled with excitement, he could read the slight expression of fear that was written on Arthur's face. "Don't worry Arthur," Alfred said calmly. "Everything is going to be okay! And if anything does happen, you can count on me to help you out! I told you that I would."

"And so did I," Kiku added.

"So you have nothing to worry about!" Alfred laughed heartily. "I'm sure once people get to know you, they'll see how cool you really are! This could be quite a good thing for you. You could meet new people, and they could get a chance to find out who you are instead of what people make you out to be! Before you know it, this whole bullying thing will be a thing of the past!"

Maybe Alfred was right. Maybe this would be a good way to make up for time lost. Maybe this would be a great opportunity for Arthur to try to live a normal life. Maybe, just maybe, this could change everything.

_._

_**I'm Alive! So please don't kill me! I was out for 2 weeks because classes started this past week, so I didn't have time to do anything. Since last week was my final week of summer, I was being overworked by my job so they could get all the hours they needed (and 3 of my coworkers decided to go on vacation). Anyways, contest time!**_

**Want to get a sneak peek at the next chapter? All you have to do is put the phrase "O-ren Ishii! You and I have unfinished business!" in your review! Once AT LEAST 5 people enter, I will randomly select a winner and send you the preview!**

_**Now, the next chapter is already written, so if I stay awake, I can abide by my usual rule. For every 10 reviews, I will post 1 DAY EARLY. And I will stick to it if I can stay awake. Now, anonymous reviews are active. So please REVIEW AND FAVORITE! Feel free to P/M me! I promise I don't bite! No flat out hate please…and I'll see you next time!**_


	11. Chapter 11

_**Disclaimer: I DO NOT own Hetalia.**_

**_A/N: Hey everyone! I'm back! And in case you're wondering, that last phrase was from the movie _Kill Bill Vol. 1_. Anyways, we have definitely passed the halfway point, and we are approaching the last few chapters of the story! I haven't determined EXACTLY how many I will have, but it's close to the end. It seems like only yesterday I started writing this…and it's going by so quickly! So be on the lookout for my new story (which will also be a UsUk story)! But for now, please read, REVIEW, FAVORITE, and enjoy. Here's chapter 11:_**

_._

_Ding dong!_ The doorbell chimed out loud. Arthur and Alfred were standing on the front step of Gilbert's house, and from the sounds inside, the party was already in full swing. Arthur rubbed his arms, quickly, trying to create a little bit of friction to warm them up. The chilly air caressed his skin, causing a small chill to run through Arthur. He was dressed in a white and green t-shirt, as well as his typical dark blue jeans, red converse, and bracelets. Alfred was dressed similarly, except his t-shirt was blue and white instead of green and white. Arthur spoke up.

"Are you sure about this Alfred?" Arthur asked nervously. "I mean, most of these people hated me, and they still might!" The entire time he had been getting ready for the party, Arthur was debating whether or not to actually go. Deep down, part of him still didn't believe that anyone was quite ready to accept him into their social life or circle of friends quite yet. Now that Arthur was standing on the front doorstep of the Beilschmidt house, there was no turning back. "You won't leave me by myself right? This really isn't my kind of scene…"

Alfred reassuringly patted Arthur on the back, while flashing a brilliant smile. "It's going to be okay Arthur! I'll be here for you, so I can protect you! I am the hero after all." Arthur let out a small chuckle. Even though he originally saw it as annoying, through the time that he had gotten to know Alfred better, Arthur grew to like his personality. In the beginning, he just saw Alfred as a conceited, shallow, and boisterous moron who lived for parties and sports. But, Arthur now saw him as heartwarming, genuine, and an altogether happy person. Arthur had even come to like his hero complex! He would consider this part of Alfred the part that saved him from his depression, and brought him to see the good in everything. His train of thought was interrupted by Alfred's voice. "And if it makes you feel better, I won't drink anything so that I can stay with you! Plus, getting drunk isn't really my thing. It feels good at first, but one can only take so much porcelain worshipping and earsplitting headaches."

"Okay," Arthur replied quickly. "I'm going to hold you to that promise Alfred Jones! Besides, I don't want some drunken bugger to drive me home. I think I've been through enough recently." Alfred and Arthur exchanged a quick laugh before the door to the house flew wide open. Gilbert was leaning casually on the doorframe. In one hand, he was holding an empty red cup. The other hand was preoccupied rubbing a spot on his head. Arthur glanced over his classmate quickly, trying to figure out what could have possibly happened. Gilbert's shirt was torn in several places, and there was a bruise quickly forming on his arm. From what he knew about Gilbert, Arthur could only guess that…

"Alfred! Arthur! Kesesese, glad you made it!" Gilbert shouted excitedly. His crimson eyes caught the look of concern in Arthur's emerald ones, and offered up an explanation. "Oh don't worry about this! It's nothing! Except for the fact that Elizaveta damn well nearly killed me! I don't know where the hell she found that fucking frying pan from either! I just walked up to her, asked her if she wanted to dance, and BAM! The bitch hits me!" Alfred burst out laughing at this point. He could expect nothing less from Gilbert. No matter what Alfred had ever said to him about Elizaveta, Gilbert would never listen. As his consequences, he was usually pummeled by her. "I swear I am so done with her until next week! No one can resist the Awesome Gilbert forever, kesesese! Well what are you doing out here? Everyone is inside!"

_._

The place was completely packed with people! Arthur could barely hear anything except for the deafening boom of the amplifiers and stereos blasting various songs. The living room was converted into a makeshift dance floor, completely filled with teenagers jumping, bumping, and grinding all over one another. Arthur hoped that if he was for some reason forced on the dance floor that he wouldn't bump into any "pants-off dance-offs". Suddenly, all of the teens on the dance floor screamed: "DROP IT!" And drop it they did. Arthur saw everyone immediately stop jumping, and start grinding hard down closer to the ground. With the exception of Alfred and Arthur passing through the room, the only people that Arthur could visibly see standing off to the side were two younger students, Raivis and Lily.

"I REALLY LIKE YOU! BE MY PRIVATE DANCER!"

The music continued on as Arthur and Alfred headed for the backyard. They figured that it would be a lot less crowded outside of the noisy house, and given the choice, Arthur would rather be a little cold instead of being lumped together with a gyrating mass of skin, clothing, and sweat. Passing through the kitchen, Arthur saw Gilbert run over to join in on a chugging contest. If anyone was the king of parties, it would be Gilbert Beilschmidt. The albino truly had a talent for drinking, if there was one, and he took great pride in being able to hold his liquor well. The two teens finally found the back door in the middle of a chorus of: "Chug! Chug! Chug! Chug! Chug!"

The backyard was a little less crowded, but Arthur figured that it was most likely due to the fact that everyone was spaced out in the massive area. Arthur looked over towards the pool and saw Gilbert's younger brother Ludwig lounging on an inflatable chair while talking to the ever energetic Feliciano. After about a minute, Arthur started walking towards the gazebo on the other side of the pool. The gazebo was empty except for a table and some chairs, but it was definitely the quietest place he had seen so far. "Hey Alfred, lets sit over here for a second!" Arthur said into Alfred's ear so that he could be heard. Within thirty seconds of sitting down, Alfred and Arthur saw 5 other people walking towards their current spot.

Gilbert was at the head of the group, staggering around due to his possible concussion and absolute drunkenness. A little bit behind Gilbert was Elizaveta, offering support so that he wouldn't fall flat on his face. Elizaveta's jeans had a small blood stain on the thigh, most likely from when she pummeled Gilbert earlier. Her shirt, unlike Gilbert's, was still neat and orderly, despite the raging party inside the house. Next to Elizaveta were Ludwig and Feliciano, clad only in their swimsuits. Feliciano was excitedly telling Ludwig a story, while frantically drying himself off. When Feliciano shivered slightly, his German friend offered up his own towel to hopefully provide extra warmth. Upon hearing the explanation, the small Italian teenager hugged Ludwig, saying that hugging would make him warmer. Bringing up the rear was…Katyusha. Her short hair was blowing in the wind, but she seemed not to mind. Because it was a party, Katyusha decided to wear something a little more revealing than usual. Her light blue miniskirt tightly hugged her curvy hips as each stitch in her red crop top was screaming while trying to support their otherwise massive payload. Katyusha's eyes met Alfred's, and she flashed a smile, while a small blush rose to her face. She waved her hand briefly, and Alfred returned the gesture.

Arthur frowned when he saw the Ukrainian senior walking over. Even though he knew that she was going to be here, Arthur still didn't want to have to deal with the trouble of having her around Alfred. Ever since Gilbert had revealed the fact that Katyusha was crushing on Alfred, that made Arthur feel increasingly nervous. He didn't want to have to compete with her, because he felt like Alfred would have no reason to choose Arthur over Katyusha. Where Arthur was blunt, Katyusha was gentle. Where Arthur was rude, Katyusha was kind. Where Arthur was a guy, Katyusha wasn't. At least, that's how Arthur saw it. The only thing that gave Arthur an advantage over the Ukrainian bombshell was the fact that Arthur didn't have a fucking psychotic and sadistic brother.

"Found you!" Elizaveta said happily. "We've, well Katyusha and I, have been looking for you guys all night! When did you get here?" Elizaveta threw Gilbert down in the nearest chair, before taking the one next to him. Following her lead, the rest of the entourage sat down in the gazebo, with Katyusha picking a spot on the unoccupied side of Alfred. The moment she sat down, she wrapped her arms around his right arm, and laid her head on his shoulder. If Arthur wasn't trying to keep their relationship a secret, he would have fucking exploded at that moment. How dare Katyusha do that to him!

"We just got here a couple of minutes ago!" Alfred replied with a smile. "How about you?"

"Eh," Katyusha spoke up. "Well, Elizaveta wanted to show up early so that we could help set up. We've been here almost all day!"

"Yeah but it was worth it!" Gilbert exclaimed. "This party is totally kick ass! If I do say so myself…"

"Just make sure you clean everything up when it's over bruder," Ludwig scolded. "I don't want to get in trouble for completely destroying the place. Remember last year?"

"Kesesese of course I do! I've got everything under control!" Gilbert laughed. "The Awesome Me isn't going to let that happen again!"

"Ve~! I remember that party!" Feliciano giggled. "It was really fun! Oh, before I forget, Arthur can I talk to you real quick?"

Arthur paused for a moment, slightly taken aback by the sudden request. "Uhh, sure Feliciano, what do you need?"

"You can just call me Feli if you want, and I have to talk to you in private…" Feliciano replied. He grabbed Arthur by the arm and quickly pulled him away from the gazebo. Feliciano pulled him around until he finally fount a quiet spot, and he triple checked to make sure that no one was within earshot. Then, after he completed all of his checks, he dropped a bomb that Arthur didn't even see coming. "Are you okay with the whole Katyusha thing? I mean, you and Alfred are dating right?"

'_What. The. FUCK?! HOW THE HELL DOES HE KNOW?!_' Arthur began to panic. He had gone through every possible measure of security and secrecy to make sure that his relationship with Alfred was kept a secret. So how did Feliciano know? Arthur took a moment to carefully choose his response, and then he spoke up. "What are you talking about? Me and Alfred?"

"Come on Arthur, I do live on your street. I saw your little makeout session, and when it was interrupted by that old guy. Alfred punched him a couple of times, and then he left. And besides, you two have been inseparable for the past couple of days, even in public. So once again, are you okay with a drunk Katyusha hardcore flirting with Alfred?"

Arthur couldn't deny it. Feliciano had seen everything. He had forgotten that his Italian classmate lived a couple buildings down the street as well. Nothing he could say at this point would hide his relationship. Arthur had no choice but to be honest with Feliciano.

"Well, I'm really worried. I mean, she's drunk, so she'll try anything! And you can guarantee that I won't like it!" Arthur said. "But, I have faith in Alfred that even if she tries something, he won't like it."

"Okay," Feliciano replied. "I just wanted to see if you're okay." Their brief conversation ended, and they rounded the corner to head back to where their friends were. The sight that greeted Arthur's eyes made him sick to his stomach, and angrier than he had ever been in his entire life.

Katyusha was kissing Alfred.

_._

_**So what did you think? No one expected Feliciano to be so blunt now did they? Don't worry, everything will be good! I have chapter 12 written already, and that will be posted soon! But for now, it's contest time!**_

**Want a sneak peek at the next chapter? All you have to do is type the phrase "The cake is a lie!" in your review! Once AT LEAST 5 people enter, I will choose one person to receive the sneak peek!**

_**Anyways, I hope you enjoyed the chapter! There will be one more chapter while they're at the party (well half of a chapter). 10 reviews means 1 day early! I want to thank you guys for sticking with me for so long! Anonymous reviews are active. No flat out hate please…so REVIEW, FAVORITE, and share with your friends! See ya next time!**_


	12. Chapter 12

_**Disclaimer: I DO NOT own Hetalia, but I REALLY wish I did!**_

_**A/N: Hey everyone! I'm finally back with a new chapter! I'm sorry it took so long, but I've been really busy lately…and I know I left you guys with quite an intense cliffhanger! So I know that I kinda owe you a little apology, which will be delivered in the form of the new chapter! As I said that I have passed the halfway point, I think it will be somewhere between 3 and 5 chapters (including this one) left! So thanks for sticking with me for so long! Saving the rest of my ranting for the end, please read, REVIEW, FAVORITE, and enjoy! Here's chapter 12:**_

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The sight that greeted Arthur's eyes as he rounded the corner caused an overflow of immediately. Katyusha, sitting on Alfred's lap, was kissing Alfred. Not only that, but she was definitely trying to deepen the kiss, or possibly get past first base. She laced her arms around his neck, and pulled herself closer to Alfred. Each second that passed by seemed like a millennium of torture to Arthur. Katyusha's hand was now on the back of Alfred's head, pulling him into the kiss as well. Due to his anger, Arthur did not see the resistance Alfred was giving to Katyusha. But all Arthur saw was that Ukrainian bitch trying to steal his Alfred.

If Arthur had to look at the sight before him for another second longer, he would be sick. Suddenly, Arthur's untainted rage turned to unrestrained sadness. Immediately, Arthur turned around, and started to run. Anywhere was better than there. The last thing Arthur heard as he passed the front of the house was Feliciano calling out to him. He ignored the Italian teenager's voice, and broke out into a full sprint. Arthur only lived about two miles from Gilbert's house, an easy distance to cover on foot. So, he resolved only to stop when he was inside the familiar walls of his apartment. Arthur rounded another corner, following the dim street lights that illuminated the concrete sidewalk beneath his feat, and shedding little light on the dark path ahead.

_._

Alfred's eyes shot wide open with surprise. Immediately, he pushed Katyusha off of his lap. "What do you think you're you doing?" he asked loudly. Alfred felt disgusted. While he expected Katyusha to flirt mildly, there was no way in hell he thought she'd actually kiss him!

"Well I…I just…I thought…" Katyusha mumbled. Even in her somewhat intoxicated state, she sensed that she had struck a nerve. If there was anything she hadn't intended to do, it was piss Alfred off. "I like you…and I…I don't know…thought you felt the same…"

"Katyusha," Alfred replied. "Let me set one thing straight. You are my friend. MY FRIEND. There's already someone I like, and I would never want to do anything to jeopardize my relationship with that person. So I'm sorry you feel that way, but I don't like you like that. Can you understand?"

"Yeah…but…are we still cool?" Katyusha inquired, her voice still trembling.

"I guess," Alfred answered, "but don't do that again okay?" Suddenly, Feliciano appeared next to the group. One thing was wrong, and it didn't take Alfred long to notice the problem. "Feliciano, where's Arthur? I'm supposed to be looking out for him."

"He left," Feliciano said frankly. His next few words directed towards Alfred were venomous. "And personally, I don't blame him for doing so."

"How long ago did he leave?" Alfred asked rapidly.

"Let's see…" Feliciano replied, taking his sweet time. "He left a couple of minutes ago."

"Which way did he go Feliciano?" Alfred pleaded.

"How should I know?" Feliciano spat. "Aren't you supposed to be looking out for him?"

"Feliciano this is serious! Which way did he go?" Alfred was begging. "I have to find him now!" Feliciano sighed. There was going to be no end to Alfred's excessive pleading unless he told him where Arthur went. Then again, Feliciano knew he would be doing the exact same thing if it was Ludwig who went missing. Admitting defeat, Feliciano raised his hand and pointed towards the front yard.

"He ran off in the direction of his apartment. So I can only speculate that he's heading there." Feliciano said.

'_Shit!_' Alfred panicked. '_Fuck! Did he see her…fuck! This is bad! Doesn't he trust me? Does he really not put any faith in me at all? Damn…I'm sorry Arthur…but I hope you can find it in you to forgive me. I have to find him!'_ Immediately, Alfred got up, thanked Gilbert for inviting him, and ran to his car.

_._

Arthur had been running for a while now, and he was only a block away from his apartment. The farther away from the Beilschmidt house he was, the better it would be for Arthur. While running, Arthur's mind was a blur of emotion, all centered around Alfred. No matter how hard he tried, he absolutely could not get Alfred to leave his thoughts. '_Damnit!_' Arthur thought. '_Every time something good happens in my life, it's always taken away!_'

Arthur stopped. Directly across from his apartment complex was Alfred's truck. From his vantage point, Arthur could see that Alfred was still sitting in the driver's seat. This would be his chance! If Arthur could run fast enough, he could avoid Alfred. But, this time, he wasn't going to get caught fumbling with the door. Before he took off, Arthur made sure he grabbed the right key. '_Three. Two. One. Now!_'

Arthur started a dead sprint towards his building. Once he got through the door to the main lobby, he heard the door of Alfred's truck open up. '_I have to run faster!_' Arthur thought. He reached the staircase in no time flat, and proceeded to climb to his freedom and security. By the time Arthur was halfway up, Alfred opened up the door to the bottom floor. Alfred began to skip steps heading up the grand staircase, in a desperate attempt to reach Arthur before it was too late. Arthur sped up slightly, and opened the door to his floor. He was becoming frantic. Arthur raised his hand holding the key to the door, and quickly unlocked his apartment. He glimpsed to the left, and then he… '_Shit! He's already here!_' Arthur alarmingly observed. He entered his apartment quickly, and rushed to shut the door. 3 inches until the door closed. 2 inches. 1 inch. Then, Arthur felt a force hold the door open. This was exactly what Arthur was afraid of. He knew that if Alfred caught up to him, it would be all over. He was no match for Alfred in terms of strength. Alfred was the fucking quarterback after all.

"Arthur! Let me in please!" Alfred begged. "I have to talk to you!"

"Just leave me alone Alfred!" Arthur responded, fighting back tears. "I saw enough! Why don't you just go back to Katyusha?!"

"It's not what you think this is Arthur!" Alfred shouted. "Just please let me in!" Arthur paused. He could either kick Alfred out of his life here and now, or hear him out and possibly have his heart broken. Each side had its pros and cons, and after some deliberating between the two sides, Arthur made his decision. Arthur stopped pushing on the door, and Alfred slowly entered the room. Arthur was standing still right in the opening of the apartment. His face was stern, and he looked directly into Alfred's eyes. When Alfred stared back, he expected to find the usual shimmering emerald jewels. Instead, he was met with a blank, cold, and unfeeling gaze. But, Alfred noticed one other thing that gave away the man behind the mask. He saw a little bit of dirt on each cheek, with a small path right through the minuscule amount of filth. Arthur had been crying.

"Arthur, I know what you saw, but please give me a chance to explain myself." Alfred said softly. "Please Arthur…" Another pause. After a moment, Arthur answered by slowly walking to the couch in the living room. He sat down on the far end, and motioned for Alfred to join him. Alfred did so, and took in a deep breath. After calming down, he began to talk. "Arthur, when you left the gazebo, Katyusha got a little bit wild. Gilbert and Elizaveta were encouraging her, and then she forced herself upon me. I tried to push her off, and I eventually succeeded. But I didn't want that, nor did I enjoy it. Please…can you find it in your heart to forgive me?"

Another uncomfortable silence ensued. Alfred stared at Arthur, waiting for his response. He hoped that Arthur would forgive him. He couldn't imagine living a life without Arthur in it. Before his hope entirely diminished, Arthur began to speak. "Damn…you've really affected me…" he started. "I mean first it was the scuffle on the roof, and now this. Every time you're around, I can't seem to wrap my head around things. Every time you're involved, I can't seem to focus. My chest tightens up, and I start to feel warm. I used to think it was weird. And during the party tonight, I was almost sure it was a sign of hate, but I just can't take it anymore."

"Arthur, please…I can't let you go." Alfred said. "You're the best thing that's ever happened to me. I've loved you for three years! By getting to actually pursue a relationship with you, I appreciate and came to love the person underneath. You are my everything, and I want to make it stay that way. If you let me go, I will not be able to recover. So please…"

"Wanker! You don't understand what I'm going through!" Arthur snapped. "This entire time, a small part of me thought that our relationship was you attempting to prank me, as a comeback for Ivan and the jocks. The stress it puts on me is tremendous. After tonight, I was almost certain of it. I mean, seeing you kiss Katyusha, I didn't want to believe it, or rather, I couldn't accept it. I…"

"But that was not my fault! She forced herself on me! I don't want to forget you, or throw my relationship in the trash! I want to be with you. Please, Katyusha kissing me was a big mistake."

"Damnit! You don't get it!" Arthur yelled, blushing brilliantly. "I don't want anyone else to touch you! I don't want her to be holding you like that! I don't want her to kiss you! I don't want her to do anything like that ever again!"

"Arthur…"

"Alfred, I want to be the one to hold you. I want to feel your warmth when we embrace. I want to be the only one you touch. I want you to be the last person I see before I fall asleep, and the first person I see when I wake up. I want every kiss to feel like the first kiss, and I want those to never have an end!" Arthur began to cry. "Seeing you with Katyusha tore me to pieces. I don't want to lose you! I thought I had…and it was terrible. Please, don't ever leave me Alfred. I want you to stay with me."

"Arthur, I love you! I can do whatever you want! I'll do anything you ask of me. The only thing I won't do is leave you behind. I'm sorry that what I did cannot be undone. But please, know that deep down in my heart, I never intended for anything like this to happen. From now on, I promise to stave off anyone who attempts to get to me, and be only with you. I only hope that you can eventually forgive me for what I've done!"

Arthur pulled the neck of Alfred's shirt down, stealing a brief kiss from him before speaking up.

"Of course I forgive you!" Arthur said. "I love you!"

_._

_**He finally said it! Arthur finally admits his true feelings! I hope this makes up for the later post, and I'm curious to see what you guys think. But for right now, its contest time!**_

**Want a sneak peek at the next chapter of the story? All you have to do is leave the phrase "You have smashed the window of transparency!" in your review! Once AT LEAST 5 people enter, I will pick a winner, and send them the preview!**

_**And 10 reviews means one day early! However, I will wait a minimum of 5 days before posting. Anonymous reviews are active. No flat out hate please :3. So, REVIEW, FAVORITE, and FOLLOW! I hope you enjoyed this chapter! See ya!**_


	13. Chapter 13

_**Disclaimer: I DO NOT own Hetalia.**_

**_A/N: Here I am! I bet you forgot all about me…or did you? Anyways, I had a crap ton of tests the past two days, and I've been trying to write this chapter all week! But I finally got the time to sit down, and write this puppy. I'm pretty sure you'll thank me for it. I have also decided. This is the LAST CHAPTER, but there will be an EPILOGUE next week! Also, next week (if humanly possible), I will post the first chapter of my NEW fiction: '_Going for Gold' _(also a UsUk story). NOW, without further to do, please READ, REVIEW, FAVORITE, and enjoy! Here's chapter 13:_**

**_WARNING: MATURE CONTENT._**

_._

Alfred was slightly taken by surprise. '_He loves me…_' Alfred thought. The words endlessly repeated in his head, resonating through his entire body. Suddenly, it was like the weight of the world was lifted off of his shoulder. Arthur had forgiven him, more than that, Arthur admitted his true feelings for Alfred. The larger teen struggled to hide the tears forming in his eyes. The impact of Arthur's words had wormed its way into Alfred's heart, and was slowly overtaking him from the inside out. He truly was the luckiest person in the world to have Arthur, and he was damn determined to stay with him.

Arthur's heart was beating rapidly in his chest. What he had been keeping locked up, almost denying in a sense, finally burst out of him. The sweet relief of the outburst though was welcomed by the wary teen. While he was never one to be open about himself, Alfred made it okay. Something about Alfred made everything right, and he truly believed that Alfred would always listen to him. No matter what he had done, Alfred was always quick to accept and forgive Arthur. He was always there to support and comfort Arthur. He was always there to love Arthur. His train of thought broke when he glanced up at Alfred.

Arthur's eyes met his favorite thing about Alfred: his eyes. Arthur could get lost in those brilliant, crystal clear, mesmerizing blue gems for hours. If he had to pick one thing to compare to Alfred's eyes, not even the crown jewels would be able to hold a candle to the wonder before him. So full of love, and so full of trust, Arthur let himself linger in Alfred's gaze a little longer. When his mind came back around, Arthur realized how close his face was to Alfred's. A mere inch separated the two teenagers. The distance between them that had been slowly closing remained the same for a few more seconds, before Alfred closed the gap between them, taking Arthur's lips in a gentle kiss.

The soft texture of Alfred's silky lips clouded Arthur's mind again, as he relished the feeling. Oh God, how grateful he was that Alfred remained his. Upon seeing Katyusha's transgression, Arthur was almost certain that he would never get Alfred to come back to him. He dreaded never being able to experience the wonderful sensation that was occurring now. Slowly but surely, Arthur felt two strong arms snaking around his waist. They began pulling him closer to Alfred, until little space separated their clothed bodies. Arthur lifted his arms up, and placed them around Alfred's neck, gently pulling him down into a more passionate kiss. This slight action was replied by a small nip at Arthur's lower lip, begging for entrance. Arthur obliged, and opened his lips slightly.

Though it had happened before, the feeling of Alfred's tongue dancing and intertwining with his own was exhilarating. He recognized the taste of Alfred's routine diet, fast food cheeseburgers, and was also happy to discover he didn't taste like alcohol. This small fact was a victory for Arthur. While he knew his boyfriend loved him, Arthur was thrilled to know that he was completely sober, and doing this of his own volition. However, Alfred was not leaving him with much thinking room, as Arthur soon remembered the talented tongue mapping out his mouth. As a tiny reward, Arthur let out a soft moan, which was eagerly swallowed by Alfred.

They broke apart momentarily to breathe, and then resumed the passionate kiss. But this time, it was a little different. When their lips made contact, Arthur realized that Alfred's mouth was open as well, enticing Arthur to take the initiative for the first time and lead the kiss. Hesitantly, Arthur slid his tongue into Alfred's mouth, and found an entirely new sensation overcome him. The pleasure felt by Arthur was indescribable, and nothing in his wildest dreams could compare to what he was currently feeling. He felt Alfred moan into the kiss, and the new occurrence slightly surprised him. Usually he was the one on the receiving end of the kiss, and Alfred was the one taking in every delicious noise that Arthur made. Arthur felt inexperienced as he traced the layout of Alfred's mouth, slightly disappointed by the thought that he wasn't able to provide his boyfriend with as much pleasure as Alfred had given him earlier. Any doubt created by thought was instantly shattered once he felt the speed of Alfred's heartbeat on his own chest: it was completely off the chart.

They separated once more for breath, and for the first time, Arthur realized the slightly awkward position they were in. Alfred was leaning back in, when Arthur held a finger to his lips. Alfred's expression became one of concern, afraid almost that he had done something wrong, or that he had gone too far. "Arthur, is everything okay?"

"Y-yeah," Arthur replied, his voice shaking slightly. "It's just…would you be more comfortable if we continued this some other place?" Arthur nudged his head slightly backwards motioning to his bedroom. He hoped that he wasn't being too brash, but his gut feeling told him that Alfred wouldn't mind so much. Alfred looked in the direction that Arthur had indicated, and it took him a moment to piece it together. Suddenly, upon realization, his eyes grew slightly wider than normal, and he looked back at Arthur. His gaze was met with a slight nod, and Alfred's already rapid pulse sped up. Without a moment's warning, he picked Arthur up with one arm, and walked towards the bedroom. Once inside, he closed the door, and gently sat Arthur down before resuming the kiss.

Aware of his size, Alfred pulled the smaller teen on top of himself, in order to make the kiss more comfortable. When Arthur was fully lying on top of Alfred, the larger teen took the initiative to continue their intense kiss. From this position, he was able to let his hands roam over Arthur's clothed back, and simultaneously focus on their interlocking lips. Arthur placed a hand on Alfred's face, and started caressing his cheek gently. The pleasant feel of Arthur's soft hand was slowly driving him over the edge. With one final moan from Arthur's throat, Alfred flipped on top of Arthur, catching the smaller teen by surprise. Alfred's hands made their way under Arthur's green and white t-shirt, and started removing the article of clothing. Once complete, Alfred tossed the shirt off to the corner of the room. After discarding Arthur's shirt, Alfred proceeded to remove his own, revealing his perfectly toned muscles. Alfred's tan complimented his skin nicely, and his defined upper body was definitely aesthetically pleasing to Arthur.

While Alfred was removing his shirt, Arthur realized that his own upper body was exposed, and his arms shot up to protect his chest. Alfred understood the action, and offered a tender reassurance. "Arthur, it's okay. I know about the scars. I've seen them before. You don't have to be ashamed by them, because I love you just the way you are," Alfred said softly. While he was partially telling the truth, he had only seen Arthur's slender back. After a slight nod from Arthur, his arms dropped to reveal a single large scar running diagonally across his upper body, from his right shoulder down to the top, left part of his abdomen. While the scar was slim now, Alfred knew it came with great pain. He paused for a moment, and then lowered his head to place a single, chaste kiss on the scar before pulling Arthur into an embrace. The feeling of Alfred's cool skin on Arthur's own was incredible. For a football player, Alfred's skin was smooth and inviting as opposed to rough and calloused. The kiss and the embrace in itself made Arthur feel totally secure with Alfred, and displayed just how much Alfred cared about him.

Alfred then moved his head back up to place another kiss on Arthur's lips, and then he started to move downward, planting gentle kisses along Arthur's jaw line. Alfred momentarily glanced up, and saw the brilliant blush on his cheeks, which were perfectly contrasting Arthur's entrancing eyes. Alfred moved a little bit further south, planting a kiss on Arthur's neck, causing Arthur to moan loudly. Alfred gently nipped the spot, and then sucked it, causing the skin to turn red. All the while, a delicious array of sounds were emanating from the smaller teen beneath Alfred. He moved his mouth down again, until he reached the next checkpoint. Alfred flicked his tongue out, and brushed Arthur's nipple, while his hand teased the other nipple to hardness. Arthur was savoring every moment of overwhelming pleasure, while trying to keep his self control. After a minute, Alfred's mouth and hand traded positions, so that he could tend to Arthur's other nipple with his tongue, and treat the first one with his hand for a change. His ministrations were driving Arthur crazy.

Once finished, Alfred continued to leave a trail of kisses down Arthur's slim stomach, feeling the muscles tense slightly underneath each touch on the skin. While he was tenderly kissing Arthur's abdomen, Alfred fumbled with his own belt buckle, and removed his pants, exposing Alfred's American flag boxers. Eventually, Alfred's mouth was halted by Arthur's belt. He looked up into his boyfriend's eyes, who nodded with approval, and then removed Arthur's belt, followed closely by his shoes and socks. He then proceeded to free Arthur of his pants in one swift yank, revealing his British flag boxers, and Arthur's throbbing bulge underneath. Alfred took a moment to collect himself, and then he stripped Arthur of his underwear as well.

Arthur's breath hitched as cool air came in contact with his entirely bare body. His sensitive lower body was becoming accustomed to the air temperature, but it was interrupted by something new. Alfred planted a kiss on each of Arthur's inner thighs, and then right on his bare hips. Arthur couldn't take it anymore. "Alfred…please! S-stop teasing me!" Arthur pleaded desperately. Alfred nodded, acknowledging Arthur's begging. He lightly gripped the base of Arthur's fully erect 7-inch member, and started lapping at the head. Arthur's hands grabbed the blankets beneath him, and balled into fists to keep himself in control. But, his last shred of self restraint was broken when he felt Alfred take him into his mouth. The feeling was entirely foreign, but was borderline overloading Arthur with pleasure.

Alfred continued to suck softly, and he started to bob his head. Suddenly, he felt Arthur's hands grab the back of his head, and slim fingers interlaced with his hair. A loud moan erupted from Arthur's throat as Alfred hummed around Arthur's throbbing member in the wet heat. The moans enticed Alfred even more, and he craved to hear them again. Fuelled by lust and passion, Alfred took Arthur's fully erect member completely into his mouth, nearly choking. Although one might've thought that Alfred was experienced because of his "superstar jock" status, the truth was that this, like it was for Arthur, was his first time.

He continued to bob his head at an even pace, continuing in his ministrations. Arthur was lost in pleasure, his eyes clouded with an overwhelming lust. Alfred hummed again, sending wave after wave of pleasure through the British teenager's body. Suddenly though, Arthur felt it. The warning came as a barely audible utterance. "Alfred…I-I think I'm going to…" Arthur whispered. Alfred braced himself, and Arthur's release came quickly, his body trembling violently as he rode out the orgasm. Alfred swallowed every last drop of Arthur's essence, before pulling off of the semi-erect member.

"Arthur, was that okay?" Alfred asked, voice still husky with lust. Arthur nodded in response. "I can make you feel even better, is that okay?" Arthur again nodded. "Thanks Arthur!" After saying those words, Alfred removed his own underwear, completely exposing his naked body and all its glory. Arthur couldn't help but stare at Alfred's perfect form, and he admitted that he did linger on one part in particular. The sight of Alfred alone brought Arthur back to full arousal. He knew what was to come, but he was still slightly afraid of the pain. Arthur spoke up.

"You wouldn't happen to have any lube…would you?" Arthur asked hopefully. To his surprise, Alfred walked over to his pants, and removed a small bottle from the left pocket of the jeans.

"Actually, I thought that there might've been a chance that I would've gotten lucky at the party," Alfred admitted shyly. "I'm sorry for thinking of you in that way. Usually, Gilbert steals this stuff from me halfway through the night also, so I never use it anyways. Not that I would need to! I mean…this is my first time too…" Seeing Alfred fumble with his words brought a small smile to Arthur's face. He could tell his boyfriend was nervous, but he wanted Alfred to be able to experience as much pleasure as he just did. Arthur laughed slightly, and then forgave Alfred, before Alfred returned to his original plan of action. Alfred squeezed some of the lube onto his finger, and proceeded to sufficiently lube the appendage. He looked Arthur right in the eyes, and then inserted his finger into Arthur's tight entrance, pushing past the constricted ring of muscle.

The look on Arthur's face was one of discomfort, but he assured Alfred that what he was doing did not hurt. However, he quickly thought that over once Alfred added the second finger. Alfred began to stretch and scissor his fingers, preparing Arthur for what was to come. Arthur was definitely in pain, and his wincing gave him away. Alfred tried to stop, but Arthur encouraged him to keep going. Alfred curled up his fingers, and he brushed past spot that made all of Arthur's pain melt into pleasure. A loud moan was emitted from Arthur's throat, and Alfred pressed the spot again, with a little more force. The results were immediate. Arthur was whimpering, lost in a sea of pleasure. "Alfred, I want you now!" Alfred nodded, and removed his fingers. He squeezed the cold lubricant onto his own fully erect 10-inch cock, and tried as best as he could to properly lubricate his member. After a minute, he was paused at Arthur's entrance.

"Are you sure about this Arthur?"

"Please, make me yours!"

With that, Alfred pushed the head of his member past into Arthur's entrance. The pain for Arthur was immediate, and he was entirely unused to the feeling of being penetrated. However, with the pain, there was a slight amount of pleasure. If this would be anything like what he had experienced moments ago with Alfred, Arthur was sure he would be okay. Slowly, Alfred pushed in inch by inch, until his cock was fully sheathed inside Arthur. He paused for a little bit in order for Arthur to become used to the new feeling of being filled. The hesitation was killing Alfred. The pleasure and heat of Arthur's inner walls clamping down on his member was bringing Alfred close to his orgasm already, and he was overcome by lust. However, he still held restraint so that he could make sure that Arthur was okay. Arthur wrapped his legs around Alfred's waist, and then gave the signal.

Alfred pulled out until only his head was left inside Arthur, and then he slammed back into the welcoming heat. His pace was still slow, so Arthur would be comfortable, but he didn't know how much longer he could hold out. Suddenly, Arthur arched his back, and elicited another loud moan. Alfred had struck his prostate dead on. Arthur was begging loudly at this point for Alfred to go faster, and Alfred didn't hesitate. He started slamming into Arthur faster and faster, and Arthur kept moaning on every thrust, begging for more. "Harder! P-please go faster!" Arthur begged. Alfred reached around and grabbed Arthur's erect member, and began pumping the shaft in time with his own thrusting. The combination of the two sources of pleasure overloaded Arthur completely, and he was sent hurtling rapidly toward his climax. With one final thrust, Alfred buried himself completely in Arthur, and Arthur came hard. His inner walls clamped down on Alfred as a result of his orgasm, making Alfred release as well inside Arthur.

The two lovers rode out their orgasms together, and waited for the aftershocks to subside. Once they came down from the peak of their simultaneous climaxes, Alfred pulled out of Arthur, and the two shared a loving embrace. Alfred pulled up a blanket from underneath them, and covered them with it. Once wrapped in its warmth, and basking in the afterglow of their passionate events of the evening, Alfred placed a kiss on Arthur's lips. "I love you Arthur. I do now, and I always will."

"I love you too Alfred, with all of my heart."

_._

_**Well? What did you think? That was my first lemon EVER. So please give me some honest feedback. Was it okay? Did you like it? That was quite a way to end a story in my opinion XD. But I want to sincerely thank you all for reading my story. It really means a lot to me, and your reviews encourage me to write so much. I love you readers! Thank you so much! But please, REVIEW and FAVORITE! Tell me what you thought of the chapter, and of the story! Keep your eyes peeled for the epilogue next week as well! Anonymous reviews are active, but no flat out hate please :3. Bye for now!**_


	14. 10 Years Later

**Disclaimer: _I DO NOT own Hetalia._**

_**Hey everyone! I'm so sorry I haven't updated in FOREVER! I got a triple whammy of a bad concussion, Hurricane Sandy, and the Nor'easter that came through where I live. The concussion took me out for a couple of weeks (I fell thirteen feet headfirst onto a small mat. Bad accident…but it's part of my sport!) and I'm all better now! So here's the epilogue, and I want to thank you all again for your support.**_

_**But real quick, some of you guys were harassing me about Alfred's…length…and I have one thing to say: watch the episode where he's trying to lower Russian morale! He orders 25cm condoms, and the last time I checked, 25cm is about 10 inches. But, that was my first lemon…so that was kind of a fail attempt…AH! I'm rambling! Here's the epilogue finally!**_

* * *

Arthur woke up to the sunlight peeking through his curtains, yanking him out of his peaceful sleep. He checked the clock, and it read 9:27 A.M. on the dot. Arthur stretched his arms high above his head, and let out a soft yawn, before the smell of something hit his nose. The blonde climbed out of bed, put on some slippers, and walked out of his bedroom. He reached the stairs, and slowly took them one by one, taking his limbs slowly out of their tired state. The soles of Arthur's slippers hit hardwood floor at the bottom of the staircase, and he turned to the left, following the bewitching scent that was flooding his nostrils. Soon, hardwood gave way to white tile, and he found himself standing in the middle of the kitchen. Arthur crossed over to the refrigerator in search of some apple juice, but something stopped him.

Arthur felt the familiar sensation of strong, supporting arms encircling his slender waist, and he sighed as he experienced the gentle kiss against his neck. Alfred pulled the smaller man close to him, so that their bodies were only separated by pajama bottoms and Arthur's white t-shirt. The ghost of a whisper caressed Arthur's ear, and he felt the hot breath of Alfred on the back of his neck. "Good morning," Alfred had whispered. "I made some eggs and bacon for breakfast, along with your favorite brand of tea. Would you like some instead of that frigid apple juice?"

"Only if it's sweet," Arthur replied, turning around to face Alfred. As he did so, Arthur stared deep into Alfred's captivating eyes, and he leaned in for a kiss. He loved kissing those soft lips, and feeling their silky texture against his own. Alfred deepened the kiss, and there were no protests from Arthur. He stood there and allowed his mouth to be traced by Alfred's tantalizing tongue, something that had happened many times before, but still felt like the first. Arthur reached up and placed his hands on Alfred's bare shoulders, before he separated their mouths for a quick breath of air. Alfred dove back into the kiss, being gentle at first. However, the gentleness gave was to the passion that they both knew well. Arthur could feel the heat radiating off of Alfred's body, and his scent was as intoxicating as ever. However, after a few more moments of bliss, Arthur pulled away. "But nothing is as sweet as you," he said slyly.

Alfred cracked a smile before heading over to the cabinets, and he retrieved two plates from one of the shelves. He placed the white ceramic plates on the granite countertop before serving up the delicately prepared meal. Arthur cleared his throat once Alfred had placed enough food on the plate, and he was all too delighted to dig in when Alfred handed it to him. After a few bites, Arthur saw the cup of tea sitting just next to his knife. He picked up the cup of tea, blew on it to cool down the hot drink, and then sipped it carefully. He avoided being burned, which was good, and he discovered that the tea was at perfect temperature. Alfred made it just the way Arthur liked it.

Arthur continued to eat his meal, and he soon found himself joined by Alfred, who had already gone back for seconds. Arthur gently elbowed Alfred before speaking up. "You should save some!" Arthur scolded. "You know you shouldn't eat ALL of the breakfast. Do you remember what happened last time?" Alfred pondered the question that was proposed before laughing out loud, placing an arm around Arthur's shoulder. Arthur smiled and leaned his head onto the muscular shoulder as he placed his hand over Alfred's chest. He could feel the rise and fall that came with each breath, and his strong heartbeat resonating throughout his chest cavity. Arthur was brought back to reality when he heard Alfred's voice.

"We all remember what happened last time!" he laughed excitedly. "But I couldn't help myself! I fixed it didn't I?"

"Yes you fixed it," Arthur replied. "You always do!"

"That's because I'm the hero!"

"You're my hero Alfred."

The two lingered in each other's embrace for a little bit longer. They had both gone through so much together, and through it all, Alfred was always there for Arthur, and he had never once broken his promise. Arthur placed a gentle kiss on Alfred's lips, and then said his favorite words. "I love you Alfred."

"And I love you too Arthur," Alfred replied softly. Suddenly, they heard a door open upstairs, and that was quickly followed by the pitter-patter of tiny footsteps. Arthur nudged Alfred in the ribs one more time, and then crossed the kitchen to retrieve a small plate from the cabinet. Alfred followed suit, and he stood just past the doorway, hiding from the entrance. As they both assumed their positions, the quiet sound grew a little louder, but not by much. Arthur held his finger up to his lips, signaling Alfred to remain silent, and the command was obeyed.

Slowly, a little head poked into the kitchen of the house. That small head, crowned in short and soft, golden hair, had a curious face. A button nose sniffed once, sensing the delicious aromas in the room, before curious blue eyes scanned the room for the source of the smell. The two-year old took another step into the room, revealing his footy pajamas. The sky blue colored fabric was adorned with images of fluffy, white sheep, and they had two buttons just under the neck of the clothing. Glancing over at the right side of the child, a brown teddy bear was clutched in hand, while the thumb of his left hand was in his mouth. The child took one final step, before he was picked up off of the ground by Alfred, and hoisted high in the air. The small child giggled happily as he was being lifted over and over high above Alfred's head. After three more lifts, Alfred placed the child down in a chair, and Arthur brought over a glass of milk. "Good morning Peter!" Arthur said affectionately. "What do you want for breakfast?"

"What can I have daddy?" Peter inquired, placing his left hand on top of his head.

"Well Peter," Alfred replied, "we have cereal, eggs, toast, and bacon! So what would you like?"

"I'll have whatever papa is having!" Peter stated happily, staring at Arthur's plate. "It smells good!"

"Okay buddy! Whatever you want!" Arthur said, and he grabbed one additional plate out of the cabinet. He filled it halfway with food, and then handed it to the child. "Do you want any ketchup with your eggs Peter? I know daddy likes them that way."

"Are they better with ketchup daddy?" Peter asked curiously.

"I think they are," Alfred replied with a wide smile. "It gives them a little extra flavor!"

"Okay!" Peter giggled, and then he grabbed the ketchup bottle with both of his small hands. He proceeded to squeeze out a little bit of ketchup before he sealed the bottle, and handed it back to Arthur. "Here you go papa! Can you please put it back for me?"

"Sure thing Peter," Arthur responded. He stood up, and brought the bottle back over the Alfred. He carefully placed the bottle down on the counter, and he reached for his own plate sitting on the counter of the island in the kitchen. Arthur scrubbed the plate clean of any leftovers from his meal, and then placed the white plate in the dishwasher. He looked at Peter carefully, and he laughed inwardly. The child was eating his eggs with a wide smile on his face, while Alfred was telling a silly knock-knock joke. Arthur only interrupted when Peter was drinking milk, so that Alfred would not try to make the boy squirt milk out of his nose.

Arthur thought about himself as a child, and what he went through. He vowed ever since the day they adopted Peter as baby that he would do everything in his power to give this child the life he never could have. He was going to make sure that the child had a good home life, and that he could enjoy being a kid. Arthur paused as he remembered how he felt whenever his mom was still with him. His mother always protected Arthur, and made him feel loved. Arthur was grateful for that, and he sensed that that portion of his mom had been passed on to him. Every moment that he spent with the child, he was kind and caring. He loved the boy very much. He scolded when necessary, and he certainly did nothing to spoil the toddler, but he still took great care of him. Once Peter finished his breakfast, Arthur took his plate and spoke up. "Peter, go up to the bathroom. I'll be right there to start your bath."

"Okay papa!" Peter responded, literally bouncing as he spoke. He waved to Arthur and Alfred, and then hopped up the stairs one by one. When Peter reached the top of the stairs, Alfred walked over to Arthur and pulled him into a hug. He paused for a moment, and then let his arms drop away from Arthur. The smaller blonde stared at Alfred, which was met with a quick response.

"I have to go take a shower now," Alfred said. "I need to get clean like Peter! After all, we'll have all Saturday to hang out! So I'll be right back out." With that, Arthur watched his husband walk towards their room. Arthur pinched himself, making sure that it was not all a dream. His biggest fear was that he would eventually wake up, and he would discover that everything that he had gone through with Alfred was just a dream. He feared it every day. He feared that he would open his eyes, and he would be laying on the floor of his living room, with his abusive father standing over him. But out of that fear came one thing: love. He loved every moment he spent with Alfred and Peter, and he enjoyed them all to the fullest. He didn't have time to fear what he could not see, but he did have time to love what he knew was real. Arthur smiled as he glanced out the window; his face was bathed in sunlight.

Ever since the day Alfred had saved him on the roof, Arthur had been happy. Their relationship had its ups and downs, but in the end it all worked out. Arthur loved Alfred with all his heart, and as proof, one could just look at the ring around his finger. When Peter came into their lives, he had not ceased to be a complete blessing, and he was a constant source of happiness in the household. Arthur knew that none of this would have happened, if he hadn't had the courage to say "yes" to Alfred all those years ago. But Arthur also knew that when he agreed to Alfred's invitation for a date, that his life had been changed for good.

* * *

**_And there you have it folks! That was _Breaking the Mold_, my first multi-chapter fanfiction. I hope you enjoyed it, and I hope that you will read my new story: _Going for Gold_. My new story has already been posted, so why not check it out? It's another UsUk fiction, it's rated M, and I promise to work my hardest! So please leave me a review telling me your thoughts on _Breaking the Mold_, or a review with something about yourself, or a random fact. Favorites are also accepted! Anonymous reviews are active, so no flat out hate please. Love you guys! Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoyed this, and my new story too._**

_**~RussoGermany**_


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